SCIE media releases 2003

SCIE launches new user participation report

18 November 2003

'Users at the Heart', a report published by the Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE), looks at service user involvement in the governing bodies of the new social care regulators. It is based on a project funded by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation.

This year long study examined the experiences and contributions of service users who serve on the boards of the Care Councils and Standard Commissions in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, as well as SCIE and Topss England, the National Training Organisation.

The report shows that the service users were generally positive about their experiences as board members, and the organisations and their colleagues on the boards valued their contribution. Service user involvement is being recognised as an integral part of service development and delivery by different organisations at a national level.

Some service users had encountered practical difficulties over transport, access and communication, and most felt the volume of paperwork was excessive. On the boards whose members are paid, this remuneration could cause difficulties for those who were receiving benefits.

The report's author Frances Hasler, thinks the report raises other issues too. She said: "A question mark remains over how much difference participation is making to the work and effectiveness of the boards. There are queries about just how fully staff in some organisations are signed up to user participation. There are also questions about who is not involved, and how indirect discrimination may be keeping some user groups at the margin".

Jane Campbell MBE, chair of SCIE said: "I'm personally delighted that more service users are becoming involved at the highest level in these regulatory bodies. This encouraging report shows that Ministers' confidence in the value of participation by people who use services has been fully justified".

"People with experience of using services are making a distinctive and valued contribution to the governance of the new quality and standards bodies in social care. The quality organisations have begun to adapt their ways of working to get maximum benefit from the experience and expertise of service users on their boards. They are now looking at ways to extend service user participation into other areas of their work."

For further information about SCIE, please contact Gabriella Brooks at 1 st Floor Goldings House, 2 Hay's Lane, London, SE1 2HB.

Telephone (020) 7089 6858 or email gabriella.brooks@scie.org.uk

Notes to Editor

The report will be launched on 21 November at the Holiday Inn, 1 Kings Cross Road, London WC1X from 10.30am. Those wishing to attend should contact Tanya Simpson at SCIE on 020 7089 6840.

The full report, 'User at the heart: user participation in the governance and operations of social care regulatory bodies' will be available from 20 November. For a copy, please call 020 7089 6840. Alternatively, for a pdf version, visit the Publications section.