Personalisation
Personalisation is an approach to health and social care that enables individuals
to have greater choice, control and involvement in decisions about the support
they receive. Rather than providing standardised services, personalisation
recognises that every individual has unique needs, strengths, preferences and
aspirations. The approach seeks to ensure that support is tailored to what
matters most to the person, enabling them to live as independently as possible
while promoting dignity, wellbeing and self-determination. Within social work,
personalisation is a core principle that underpins person-centred, strengths-
based and rights-based practice (Glasby & Littlechild, 2016).
Personalisation emerged in the United Kingdom during the late twentieth and
early twenty-first centuries as part of wider reforms to adult social care.
Historically, services were often organised around what organisations could
provide rather than what individuals wanted or needed. Growing recognition of
the importance of independence, disability rights and user involvement led to
policies that placed individuals at the centre of care planning and service
delivery. The introduction of direct payments, personal budgets and self-directed
support reflected a shift away from professionally led decision making towards
greater individual choice and control (Department of Health, 2007).
A central principle of personalisation is that individuals should be active partners
in planning their care rather than passive recipients of services. Practitioners
work collaboratively with people to identify their goals, strengths and desired
outcomes before exploring how available resources can best support them. This
approach recognises that wellbeing extends beyond meeting basic care needs
and includes opportunities for education, employment, social relationships,
community participation and personal fulfilment.
Personalisation is closely associated with personal budgets and direct payments.
A personal budget is the amount of funding allocated to meet an individual's
assessed care and support needs. Individuals may choose how this funding is
managed, either by the local authority, a third party or through a direct
payment, which enables them to purchase services or employ personal
assistants directly. These arrangements aim to increase flexibility and allow
people to design support that reflects their individual preferences and lifestyles.
Personalisation is an approach to health and social care that enables individuals
to have greater choice, control and involvement in decisions about the support
they receive. Rather than providing standardised services, personalisation
recognises that every individual has unique needs, strengths, preferences and
aspirations. The approach seeks to ensure that support is tailored to what
matters most to the person, enabling them to live as independently as possible
while promoting dignity, wellbeing and self-determination. Within social work,
personalisation is a core principle that underpins person-centred, strengths-
based and rights-based practice (Glasby & Littlechild, 2016).
Personalisation emerged in the United Kingdom during the late twentieth and
early twenty-first centuries as part of wider reforms to adult social care.
Historically, services were often organised around what organisations could
provide rather than what individuals wanted or needed. Growing recognition of
the importance of independence, disability rights and user involvement led to
policies that placed individuals at the centre of care planning and service
delivery. The introduction of direct payments, personal budgets and self-directed
support reflected a shift away from professionally led decision making towards
greater individual choice and control (Department of Health, 2007).
A central principle of personalisation is that individuals should be active partners
in planning their care rather than passive recipients of services. Practitioners
work collaboratively with people to identify their goals, strengths and desired
outcomes before exploring how available resources can best support them. This
approach recognises that wellbeing extends beyond meeting basic care needs
and includes opportunities for education, employment, social relationships,
community participation and personal fulfilment.
Personalisation is closely associated with personal budgets and direct payments.
A personal budget is the amount of funding allocated to meet an individual's
assessed care and support needs. Individuals may choose how this funding is
managed, either by the local authority, a third party or through a direct
payment, which enables them to purchase services or employ personal
assistants directly. These arrangements aim to increase flexibility and allow
people to design support that reflects their individual preferences and lifestyles.
