Personal Brokerage
Frequently asked questions
When did personal brokerage go live?
Personal brokerage went live on 6 May 2008.
When is personal brokerage used?
Personal Brokerage is used to arrange long term, respite and emergency care for adults with complex and unpredictable needs. This includes the following Service Groups:-
- Physical Disability (including Acquired Brain Injury)
- Sensory Disability
- Learning Disability
- Mental Health
The process will be used to commission both social and health care services where appropriate. Some people who have Direct Payments can also choose to use Personal Brokerage to help find care Providers.
Will personal brokerage apply in all cases?
Personal Brokerage will be used to identify a suitable care package for you if you meet the criteria outlined above, or if your case has been recently reviewed and a need for significant change has been identified. You can also request for your care package to go through Personal Brokerage if you wish to explore other care options that may be available.
Will my current or preferred Provider be short listed when my case is going through Personal Brokerage?
If you have a current and/or preferred provider they will be contacted but will only be short listed if their response puts them in the top three responses, in terms of a balance of quality and price.
What if my current Provider is not signed up to Personal Brokerage?
Your current provider will be notified of the intention to broker your care package, and how the process works.
How are services enlisted for inclusion in the Personal Brokerage process?
All providers who had contracts with DCC were contacted before personal brokerage went live. Providers can join the process at any time. For details, please contact the Personal Broker Team by email: acspersonalbrokerage-mailbox@devon.gov.uk
Where does advocacy come into this?
You are entitled to be supported by your advocate throughout the process, in line with the Devon County Council advocacy policy.
How will I be involved in the process?
- By being involved in completing your Estimated Budget Form
- By being involved in what is written in your Outcome Statement
- By visiting the Providers who are short-listed and deciding who you would like to choose
What about client choice?
Client choice is vastly improved by the Personal Brokerage service. Your anonymised Outcome Statement will be distributed by e-mail to all Providers registered with Personal Brokerage. This gives a much larger initial pool from which the Personal Brokerage team can develop a short list based upon your required outcomes.
How do I know that the Provider will provide what they say they will?
All services delivered as a result of Personal Brokerage are subject to the monitoring and review process. This is made more specific as the outcomes are identified at the outset and so the focus of reviews can be on achievement of the agreed outcomes.
Further Information
