Counsel and Care, the national charity getting the best care and support for older people, their families and carers, is hosting a major conference to contribute to the debate on personalisation and to examine how the Putting People First transformation of social care is to be taken forward. The conference will contribute to discussions in the lead up to the forthcoming social care green paper.

Transforming Social Care: Putting People First takes place on Tuesday 15 July 2008 in central London. Delegates will hear from Ivan Lewis, Minister of State for Social Care, how the government plan to address the needs of people using social care services who have hitherto had to fit their lives around the services, rather than having the services to meet their needs and aspirations.

The conference will be chaired by Stephen Burke, Chief Executive of Counsel and Care, who said: “This conference will allow senior managers and policy makers to come together to discuss what ‘personalisation' actually means and what it will contribute to a new way of delivering social care.

“The social care system that results from the ‘transformation' that is ahead needs to be sufficiently flexible in order that older and disabled adults are able to ensure that they fulfil their right to exercise true choice and control over the care they receive. In the run up to the green paper on the funding of social care, personalisation will be a key aspect of creating a system that is fairer, more transparent, and easier to navigate”.

“Each and every older and disabled person must be able to obtain the right care and the right deal, wherever they live.”

Transforming Social Care: Putting People First takes place on Tuesday 15July 2008, in central London.