Council-led “Gallery” forms around the Independent Personal Budget & Digital Care Cap Account Collaboration
Resulting digital solution will benefit from oversight and engagement from 30% of all English councils with responsibility for adult social care
Despite it being August and “holiday season”, the Independent Personal Budget & Care Cap Account collaboration – a project only confirmed late in July – is underway and running at pace.
Currently in discovery phase, work is being led by technical experts at Looking Local, steered by the co-funding councils; Halton Borough Council, Kirklees Council, Lincolnshire County Council and Walsall Council. Together these partners will co-design a digital solution to generate a self-funder’s independent personal budget (IPB) and associated self service digital care cap account, which each council and their service users will rely on in terms of the incoming Adult Social Care charging reforms.
Alongside the collaborating councils, we have a ‘gallery’ of 46 local authorities, who will act as a sounding board and offer their expertise to ensure the project results in a well-considered product that meets the needs of councils more widely.
We first introduced the idea of a ‘gallery’ in our MAST (Multi-Agency Safeguarding Tracker) project which was part of the LGA’s Social Care Digital Innovation Accelerator 2020/21. The idea is to ensure that what is being developed – funded by the public purse – is as widely relevant and informed as possible.
Interest and engagement in the IPB project is unsurprisingly significant. Last month Looking Local hosted a webinar with over 200 attendees (recording available here) and we are pleased to confirm that:
30% of all councils in England with responsibility for adult social care are engaged in the build of this critical digital solution, either as a core co-funding partner or in the gallery.
What is the Gallery?
An engaged group of councils keen to be updated and involved in the Independent Personal Budget & Care Cap Account collaboration and resulting digital solution.
What is the purpose of the Gallery?
With minimal resource requirements, the gallery members will
- Feedback into the discovery report (due Sept/Oct)
- Review the product as it reaches certain development milestones
- Ensure that the product being co-designed by the core collaborating five councils can scale to solve the IPB issue more widely
- Discuss requirements beyond the scope of the initial MVP (minimum viable product)
- Help steer the discussion in terms of integration and wider challenges in terms of workforce and communications
Does it cost to be in the gallery and can I join?
There is no cost to be part of the gallery and is open to all councils who want to take part – just email jane.hancer@cc2i.org uk to request this.
