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Clive's story
'Keeping it personal: Clive's story'
This short film tells how Clive, a man with a learning difficulty, has moved from living in a mental health hospital to having his own flat and his own business. You can read more about Clive's journey through the health and social care system in the article below...
Please contact Dimensions on 0114 241 2116, or complete the order form below, to receive a free copy of Clive's Story.
Keeping it personal – Clive's Story
If you went to this year's Social Services Conference, you may have seen a short film about Clive, a man with a learning difficulty, and his experience of the health and social care system over the last 30 years. He was classed as 'challenging' but it is his story that should challenge us all.
Clive went into the local mental health hospital in 1970. After a number of moves – none of which he wanted – he finally left the healthcare system 20 years later. This is when we came into contact with Clive. He lived in a registered care home which in his terms was 'alright'. But he was still living with people he did not like. He showed this in no uncertain terms from time to time. It took a further 10 years for Clive to achieve his dream: his own rented house. From there Clive has become independent – and in his own words' happy'. This year he has started his own handyman business.
What is the lesson of this story? That listening to people's aspirations without constraint is really important. I constantly hear commissioners wanting modernisation of group services but stating that individual services are unaffordable and will not be considered. But do they consider the cost of the support that is required to 'keep' people in services where they do not really want to be? Clive's challenging behaviour meant he was put away in a hospital for 20 years, at huge cost. His place in a registered care home for 10 years cost the equivalent of £80k a year. His support costs now? They are £27K per annum (inclusive of Supporting People grant), and have reduced year on year, at Clive's request.
How much money have we wasted because we did not listen to Clive?
In my experience, Clive is not exceptional. Most people's dreams are pragmatic and everyday: to live in their own house, to live with people of their choice, to be usefully employed (paid or unpaid) and to have friendships and partners. Too often, the commissioning process can create significant obstacles for people with learning difficulties to live everyday lives in their communities. When people are given the opportunity to direct their own support, they can achieve real change for themselves. Given this freedom, many find that the traditional model of support they received before had cocooned them from their local community and wrapped them up with unnecessary support. Those who do take control find that they often need less (and different) support than that previously commissioned for them. It is a learning process for us all. From this new perspective, everyone must adopt a new understanding of their roles and responsibilities. Commissioners need to keep an open mind; we, as providers, need to adopt new and smarter ways of working that use resources effectively. But, most importantly, we must all learn to listen to people's dreams.
Who knows? We could all become ' Dream Workers'.
David Wolverson
Chief Executive - Dimensions