Press Release
Published 1st September 10
Harrow Council first in UK for online care shop
IN a UK first, Harrow Council has launched an 'Amazon-style' website where residents who receive care can shop online for support and leisure services.
The ground breaking new site is an online marketplace where residents can shop for services or equipment using their personal budget - a sum of money provided by the council for them to spend to meet their social care needs.
Just weeks after the pilot project went live, this innovation in health and social care has seen the Council shortlisted for a prestigious industry award.
It has been singled out by the NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement and put forward for the regional final of the Health and Social Care Awards.
Portfolio Holder for Adult Social Care, Health and Wellbeing, Margaret Davine said:
"This is all about putting residents in control and supporting them to live full and active lives as independently as possible. Although it is early days for the scheme here in Harrow, the feedback so far has been very positive and really encouraging.
We are of course proud to be leading the way on this nationally and it is great that we have already been nominated for an award."
The awards, which have been running for nine years, highlight innovation and excellence in the delivery of frontline health and social care.
The shop4support site was created to help the Council move towards personalisation - a new way of tailoring social care services, putting the person in control. The Council aims to provide the majority of the 5,000 individuals it supports with a personal budget by April 2011.
Over the last three years Harrow has pioneered this new person centered approach and is currently the second highest in London when it comes to the take-up of personal budgets.
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