Southampton Centre for Independent Living

We would like to wish all our blog readers a very Merry Christmas. Most of our hard working staff are taking a well earned break over Christmas, so SCIL will be closed between 25th December and 1st January.

An answerphone will be available during this time but if you need assistance urgently, you can call Hampshire Social Services Direct on 0845 600 45 55 or if you live in Southampton, please call 023 8023 3344.

The last few months has seen an influx of new faces at SCIL and a few familiar faces changing their role within the organisation. Here’s a quick round up of some of the new people you may come across in 2008:

Jenny Harris – Receptionist / Administrator  - Hi, my name is Jenny, and I will be the first person you meet or speak to when you visit or ring us here at SCIL.  I started at SCIL back in August and have taken on the role of receptionist / administrator.  Before I began my role here I lived in Newcastle and worked as a customer service advisor for Halifax PLC.  I’m originally from Southampton but left in 2004 to go to university in Newcastle where I studied Architecture.   

Michael Grimmett – Independent Living Support Worker(Recruitment) - I’m Michael Grimmett and I applied for the role, because I have the benefit of meeting people and hiring PAs from various backgrounds and cultures. I am very much enjoying this role, due to the wide range of people that I come in contact with everyday. Michael’s direct dial number is 023 8020 2636 or email Michael@southamptoncil.co.uk 

Frances Caws – Direct Payments Support Worker (Havant / Petersfield) - I wanted the job as a Direct Payment Support Worker because I saw the job as a challenge, I enjoy meeting people and if I can help others in anyway I find it very rewarding. Having previously worked for SCIL as a receptionist I enjoyed working for the organisation and thoroughly believes what it stands for. Frances’ direct dial number is 023 8020 2633.or email Frances@southamptoncil.co.uk 

Ami McIntosh – Direct Payments Support Worker (Southampton) -Hi, my name is Ami. I am a new Direct Payments Support Worker and will be covering the Southampton area. I wanted this job as I have been a service user now for approx three years. Receiving direct payments drastically improved the quality of mine and my daughter’s lives. This is something I feel so many more people should benefit from and would love to play a part in making it possible. I have only been here a couple of weeks and am so far enjoying every minute. I can’t wait to get out there start meeting people and hopefully become a valuable part of the direct payments team at SCIL. Ami’s direct dial number is 023 8020 2643 or email Ami@southamptoncil.co.uk 

Amanda Hames who many of you know through Hampshire Coalition of Disabled People (HCODP), is a new Management Committee member. As a disabled person she is fully committed to furthering the rights and widening the opportunities of Disabled People to be fully included and participate equally in our Society.  Amanda is currently the Campaigns & Development Officer for HCODP and has been in post for the last six years. During this time she has acquired a great deal of experience in disability issues. She is also HCODP’s Company Secretary and a Director of Unity 12 Limited which has equipped her with knowledge and understanding of company matters.

Jeremy Long Price has also changed role and is now the Support Broker in Southampton supporting People with Physical Impairments and Older People to use Self Directed Support.

We would also like to welcome Nigel and Julie to SCIL who are Work Support Assistants for Frances and Michael respectively.    

In a much anticipated move, it has finally been announced that Self Directed Support via an Individual Budget will be offered across the UK to every Disabled adult and Older person who is eligible for social care services.

Currently just over 100 local authorities are piloting self directed support, however from April 2008, all local authorities will have to offer this. The individual budget could either be paid directly to the individual via a direct payment or the council may still hold on to the money but  an individual would have more control over when and how the council spend that money.

The media over the weekend very much focussed on the fact that older people could now be given cash to purchase their own support. The fact that Older People have been able to get Direct Payments since April 2000 seems to have passed journalists by.

Southampton will be rolling out their self directed support scheme  from January 2008 and SCIL have now taken on a support broker who will work with people with physical impairments and older people who want to switch to an individual budget.

One confusion is the number of names this particular scheme seems to have. Individual budgets, self directed support, In Control, and personal budgets are all being used to describe the same thing. SCIL has decided to adopt the term self directed support until a consensus is agreed nationally.

We will be putting a lot more information on the blog over the coming months but if you want to know more, particularly about plans in Southampton, then please contact Jeremy Long Price, our new Self Directed Support Broker on 023 8020 2642 or email Jeremy@southamptoncil.co.uk

P.S. We added a poll, just for fun, on our message board where you can name this latest government policy. Go on, Vote Now!