Herts emarketplace creating an online resource of social care and support services for people in Hertfordshire Introduction pack for organisations and businesses Contents Information about the emarketplace Frequently Asked Questions Writing for the web top tips Introduction to social care principles and ways of working What is personalisation? Direct Payments Personal budgets Safeguarding vulnerable adults from abuse 1
emarketplace creating an online resource of social care and support services for people in Hertfordshire Hertfordshire County Council (HCC) is working in partnership with Serco to develop an on line emarketplace to provide access to social care services. It enables individuals and their family and carers to search for, select, arrange and/or purchase services directly from providers. Who will use it and what are the benefits? In Hertfordshire 76% of residents use the internet every day. Traditional methods of contacting the county council and arranging services will still remain, with access through our Customer Service Centre. The emarketplace will increase each person s choice and control over their own lives and give them access to detailed information on the range and prices of services. Finding information and booking services on the emarketplace can be done at the person s own convenience at a time to suit them. Additional benefits for customers who use the Marketplace include: access to information 24 hours a day. finding out what support is available in their local area making an enquiries and payments directly to the provider accessing free services including information, advice, advocacy, and carer support families and carers, including those living outside Hertfordshire, can easily arrange services on behalf of people living in Hertfordshire Benefits for Providers Through having a presence on the emarketplace it will be possible for providers to reach a wider audience and promote their products and services. Each provider organisation who registers on the emarketplace will have their own dedicated free web page. HCC s Health and Community Services (HCS) staff will support providers so that they can register their details on the site and set up individual web pages. Technical support will also be provided. Customers using the emarketplace will be encouraged to rate and give feedback on the services they have received. 2
Timeline for developing the emarketplace Develop & Test Develop & Market Develop & Test Pilot Release Public Release PB Release Pre Pilot Develop, Test, Coordinate & Complete Checklist Self funding / Cash Direct Payments -------------- Controlled Group Homecare, Equipment and Voluntary providers Functional development, feedback, Additional providers & Provider groups Open service to all citizens Personal Budgets, systems integration, All provider groups Pilot Public Full Go Live Registration Any provider wishing to offer services to Hertfordshire residents and their families through the emarketplace will need to be registered by HCS. Once your registration has been successfully completed you will be able to advertise your services on emarketplace. If you represent an organisation that already has services contracted by HCS you will need to take the following steps in order to join the live site: 1. Contact HCS to confirm the timeline for your services to join. 2. You will be invited to sign up to the emarketplace terms and conditions, including a contract variation 3. Create your web pages for the emarketplace, including a homepage and information about your services 4. Open a Merchant Account in order to receive on line payments for chargeable services 5. Test that the configuration for payments is working before opening your service up for customer use 6. Your site will then be signed off by HCS in order for your pages to Go Live on the emarketplace. We will provide you with information to support you through the process. This includes the following documents: How to build your emarketplace website (you will be given a code to add in when registering). Detailed information about merchant accounts emarketplace joining documents - contract variation and Terms and Conditions You can see this information at www.hertsdirect.org/business/emarketplace/ 3
emarketplace Provider Frequently Asked Questions Q: How do I register to sell my services and products on the emarketplace? A: All providers need to complete a registration process to be able to operate on the emarketplace. The registration criteria will vary depending on your type of organisation and the services or products you offer although general principles will apply to all organisations. However, the following is a general guide: organisations which have an existing contract with Health and Community Services (HCS) will need to agree to a contract variation and sign up to Herts County Council s emarketplace joining Terms and Conditions we are working in partnership with Trading Standards to finalise joining criteria for non contracted providers all organisations will need to agree to @UK s Terms and Conditions (@UK is the web platform provider) as well as with Herts County Council s emarketplace Terms and Conditions Q: Which types of organisations will be able to join the emarketplace? A: The emarketplace is being opened up through a phased approach to;- services contracted with HCS; small and medium sized enterprises; trades approved under Trading Standards including TrustMark and Buy with Confidence schemes Types of goods and services will include a broad range of social care and support services. This covers residential and nursing care, voluntary sector services, equipment and practical services and trades to the home. It also includes advocacy, brokerage and financial services. Q: What are the benefits for customers who use the emarketplace? A: The benefits include: greater choice and control for people access to information 24 hours a day. customers will be able to request information on-line, find what support is available in their local area, see information about their orders, and make enquiries and payments directly to providers. families and carers, including those living outside Hertfordshire, can easily arrange services on behalf of people living in Hertfordshire Q: Is there a cost to being on the emarketplace? A: It is free for providers to have a website on the emarketplace but there are costs associated with having a Merchant Account. 4
Q: What is a Merchant Account and where can I get more information about how to set one up? A: A Merchant Account is required in order to conduct financial transactions on-line through the Marketplace. A Merchant Account is a type of bank account that allows your business to accept payments directly from customers' credit, debit or charge cards. There is a cost implication to setting up a Merchant Account so we would encourage you to make enquiries with a range of providers in order to ensure you get the right account for your business needs. You will need to check with @UK (the web portal provider) which Merchant Accounts are compatible with the system. Hertsdirect provides detailed guidance about Merchant Accounts on the emarketplace: http://www.hertsdirect.org/business/emarketplace/infoprov/ Q: How do I show my prices on the emarketplace? A: Price presentation will vary depending on the types of services and products you offer. It will also depend on your business model and factors such as whether you usually receive payments in advance or arrears. Q: Can I be on the emarketplace if the services I offer to the public are free? A: Yes. You will not require a Merchant Account if your services are free. You will be able to promote information about the services you offer and give customers the option of contacting you directly through the enquiry process on the emarketplace. Q: How easy is it to build a homepage on the emarketplace? A: It is quick and easy to establish your own web presence using the wizard technology available on the Marketplace. We will give you a step by step guide to building your own site and also offer IT drop in sessions for those needing additional support. Q: What are my responsibilities to protect personal data? A: The Information Commissioners Office website provides full details of your responsibilities under the Data Protection Act. Go to: http://www.ico.gov.uk/for_organisations.aspx Q: What if I operate in a regulated sector? If your business operates in a Regulated Sector such as personal care or financial services you will need to provide evidence that you are properly registered with the relevant regulator e.g. the Care Quality Commission or the Financial Services Authority Q: Do I need to ensure my services are accessible to people with diverse needs? A: Yes you need to comply with equalities legislation. You may find the following link to service providers guidance on the Equalities and Human Rights Commission website useful: http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/advice-and-guidance/service-providers-guidance/ 5
Q: How do customers give feedback about my services/products or make a complaint? A: Once a customer has been invoiced for a service or product from your organisation they have the opportunity to rate this via a five-star ratings process (or a four-star rating for free services) against the following headings: Product / service met my needs The customer service Value for Money (not for free services) The product / service was delivered on time I would use this service again The customer can also add comments to the service or product review but only the provider will be able to view their comments at this stage of the emarketplace development. Customers can also give feedback to organisations through their existing comments and complaints processes. You should ensure they know how to access your complaints policy which will need to be accessible on your emarketplace webpage. Q: Can providers be refused access to or removed from the emarketplace? A: We reserve the right to refuse access to, suspend and /or remove providers or specific content from the emarketplace in line with Herts County Council s emarketplace Terms and Conditions. Q: What are my responsibilities to safeguarding vulnerable people? A: The inter-agency procedure for safeguarding adults from abuse in Hertfordshire must be followed by all services in Hertfordshire who work with vulnerable adults. You should ensure you are familiar with this procedure. The link below gives more information: http://www.hertsdirect.org/yourcouncil/hcc/healthcomservices/acspolicies/safeadults/ Q: Who can I contact if I have any more questions about the emarketplace? A: HCS has set up the dedicated email address to handle any queries your organisation may have about emarketplace - please email HCC.Emarket@hertfordshire.gov.uk 6
Writing for the web Top Tips Reading onscreen is a very different process from reading printed material. Here are some tips to ensure information about your services is accessible and easy to navigate: Online readers tend to scan text rather than read, until they find what they are interested in. They have short attention spans, so may give up if they don't find what they are looking for easily. Most people scan down the left side of the page first. To be effective, onscreen text should be: quick to access and easy to scan. brief, but linking to further detail if the reader requires it. straight to the point, beginning the sentence with the main point, rather than building up to it. uncluttered by other items on the page, such as too many graphics. To help readers scan - in addition to using principles of plain language get straight to the point. use short, informative titles or headings - without playing on words. use brief summaries or introductions so that readers know what the text is about. write in an inverted pyramid style, starting with a short conclusion and gradually adding detail. use short, meaningful sub headings. break down text into lists with bullets, numbers or indentation. use bold sparingly for key words. cut down wording as much as possible. Style - key points Paragraphs should be no more than 5 lines long, and sentences under 20 words. Avoid italics, underlining and capitals. Avoid apostrophes, colons and semi-colons as these are difficult to see onscreen and can cause confusion. Write positively, negatives are harder to process. Content criteria checklist Accuracy - is it correct? Brevity - could it be any shorter or tighter? Clarity - can the reader understand your message immediately, without re-reading? Detail - should you provide further links? Emphasis - are your main, new or unexpected points evident or highlighted? Feedback - how can readers respond to your message? Good-looking - does your material look inviting and tempting to read? Always remember - you need to make sure you target your information in a way that is accessible to your audience who may have specific communication needs. 7
An Introduction to Social Care Principles & Ways of Working Many organisations are very familiar with current social care principles but this short summary is intended as background information and gives an insight into social care provision. What is personalisation? At some point in many people s lives they need extra help and support in order to manage everyday living. Personalisation is the term used to describe how care and support services are now delivered. It starts with the person as an individual with their own strengths, preferences and aspirations. It puts them at the centre of the process of identifying their needs and making choices about how and when they are supported. The traditional service-led approach has often meant that people have not received the right help at the right time and have been unable to shape the kind of support they need. Personalisation is about giving people much more choice and control over their lives. It means ensuring that people have wide choices over how their needs are met and are able to access universal services such as transport, leisure and education, housing, health and opportunities for employment, regardless of age or disability. Personalisation means: tailoring support to people s individual needs ensuring that people have access to information, advocacy and advice to make informed decisions about their care and support finding new collaborative ways of working that support people to actively engage in the design, delivery and evaluation of services developing local partnerships to co-produce a range of services for people to choose from and opportunities for social inclusion and community development ensuring all citizens have access to universal community services and resources The Department of Health (DH) makes it clear that: Importantly, the ability to make choices about how people live their lives should not be restricted to those who live in their own homes. It is about better support, more tailored to individual choices and preferences in all care settings (DH, 2008a, p 5). The independent sector has a crucial role to play in delivering personalised solutions for people no longer living in their own homes. For more detailed information about Personalisation please view Personalisation a rough guide by the Social Care Institute for Excellence http://www.scie.org.uk/publications/reports/report20.pdf 8
Personal budgets The allocation of social care funding to an individual with eligible social care needs is called a personal budget. A personal budget is the amount of money available from the council to an individual to meet their eligible social care needs. They can then make choices and control how this money is spent. It will normally be considered after looking at preventative and reablement services that can meet an individual s needs. Following a financial assessment, workers will help the individual to draw up a care and support plan to help them meet their personal outcomes. Individuals can have: The whole amount paid as a direct payment, so they can choose and arrange their own services. Services arranged and commissioned by HCS or A combination of the two. What is a direct payment? A direct payment is one way of taking a personal budget. A direct payment is a meanstested cash payment made to fund social care provision to people who have been assessed as eligible for support. Direct payments can be used to purchase support from private or voluntary agencies, community groups, or neighbours, family and friends. Common ways of using a direct payment include: Personal care/home care from a registered agency. Employing a personal assistant Day activities or sessions. Short breaks to support their family carer Transport to day activities or short breaks. Some of the things it cannot be used to fund include: Household bills and day to day expenses Any services for which other statutory agencies (such as NHS or Education) are responsible or where funding can be obtained from other sources, for example, the Disabled Facilities Grant. Employing relatives who normally live in their home, except in exceptional circumstances Safeguarding vulnerable adults in Hertfordshire Safeguarding vulnerable adults form harm is everyone s business and is a key part of health and social care practice. 9
Safety from harm and exploitation is one of our basic needs. Being or feeling unsafe undermines our relationships and self belief. Safeguarding is a range of activities aimed at upholding a person s right to be safe. It is of particular importance for people who because of their situation or circumstances may be unable to keep themselves safe. The Hertfordshire Safeguarding Adults Board (HSAB) works to ensure that Hertfordshire is a safe place for all vulnerable adults to live and work and that they are cared for and supported in an environment free from abuse, harassment, violence or aggression. The HSAB comprises senior management representatives from Health and Community Services, Hertfordshire Partnership Foundation Trust, NHS Hertfordshire, west Hertfordshire hospitals NHS Trust, east and west Hertfordshire NHS Trust, Hertfordshire Police, Hertfordshire Probation Service, POhWER, the Care Quality Commission and the private and voluntary sector and is responsible for the implementation of the Hertfordshire safeguarding adults procedure. There is an expectation that all services in Hertfordshire who work with vulnerable adults will follow the Hertfordshire safeguarding adults from abuse procedure. What is abuse? Abuse is a violation of an individual's human and civil rights by another person or persons. It may be systematic and repeated or may consist of a single incident. Abuse is when a person or persons have caused harm, or may be likely to do so, to the physical, sexual, emotional, financial or material well being of a vulnerable adult. No Secrets identifies the main forms of abuse in seven categories and these are used in this procedure. They are: physical sexual financial neglect, including an omission to act or a failure to provide adequate care Psychological, including emotional and/or verbal abuse institutional discriminatory It could also be abuse when a vulnerable adult is persuaded to enter into a financial or sexual transaction to which they have not consented, or cannot consent. Abuse can occur in any relationship and may result in significant harm to, or exploitation of, the person subjected to it. Recognising abuse Abuse does not always present as one incident, but more usually a growing concern 10
about the welfare of a vulnerable adult. It may be identified by a variety of people, for example, family members, statutory and non-statutory agencies or other members of the community. The majority of safeguarding referrals are made by the many different services who work directly with vulnerable adults. Regardless of what service a vulnerable adult is receiving, it is the responsibility of all public, private and voluntary services to report concerns about the possible or actual abuse of a vulnerable adult to one of the investigating teams as listed below. When to take action It is important that all cases of suspected or actual abuse are treated seriously. If you have reason to believe an adult may be at risk of suffering abuse or neglect you should contact the county council s Health & Community Services by calling the Customer Service Centre on: 0300 123 4042 Monday to Friday 8.00 am to 8.00 pm Saturday 9.00 am to 4.00 pm Immediate response For incidents concerning a vulnerable adult where there is danger to life, risk of injury or a crime is being committed dial 999. If you would like any further information about the emarketplace please email HCC.Emarket@hertfordshire.gov.uk 11