Moving to Sheffield and getting my adult social care transfered too

Thank you for replying and for explaining so thoroughly your situation. It is complex because there are so many 'ifs' and 'buts'. Narrowing things down, it seems you have these areas of need: mental health support, psychological help including relaxation, management of Aspergers, treatment of muscular skeletal problems and help to manage your day to day living including finances.

Anna B has kindly responded to the second and given you her experience of the time frame in Sheffield for treatment for Aspergers. It might help to contact voluntary organisations in Sheffield so that you can discuss this further.

Hopefully other members of the forum who have experience of any of the services that you require, including mental health will come along and tell you of their experience. From reading previous posts about this, I understand that people who access mental health services in Sheffield are not always satisfied with the treatment they receive. Being a big city, Sheffield has a lot of pressure on its resources.

It appears that you have already done a fair bit of research into this potential move. However, if it is to be managed successfully then you need support to do this. As you are still under section 117, you should ask your care workers to help you achieve your goal. If they refuse, check out those links again because they contain information about how to complain and how to obtain an advocate. As Mister M says, you could ask for support from one of the charities.

As you say, the move is a risk but one which you are willing to take. Remember that you might not get the help that you expect - in fact the situation could be worse. Because the main reason for moving to Sheffield is to get access to care services, as a priority you need to find out how much care and help you will get and what the waiting lists for treatment are. Next, you need help with financing the move and transferring your funding. You have to work with your care managers for both so if you can establish some sort of relationship, then it will be better for both parties. You need to take your time and weigh up all the pros and cons but you cannot do this alone. I wish you well, whatever you decide.

Juliand, you might also find it useful to take a look at the 'Disability and Carers' group, within the 'Special Interest Groups' section of Sheffield Forum.

It covers a wide range of issues, but you might find something pertinent, and it might give you a feel for life in Sheffield with disabilities.

I have to say that provision does not look good anywhere at the moment.

Juliand, you might also find it useful to take a look at the 'Disability and Carers' group, within the 'Special Interest Groups' section of Sheffield Forum.

 

It covers a wide range of issues, but you might find something pertinent, and it might give you a feel for life in Sheffield with disabilities.

 

I have to say that provision does not look good anywhere at the moment.

Thanks for letting me know it's just i did look for a specific section for things I'm asking but couldn't find something in particular, I'll have a look. When you said that provision doesnt look good anywhere where you referring to all over England or did you mean Sheffield?

Thanks for letting me know it's just i did look for a specific section for things I'm asking but couldn't find something in particular, I'll have a look. When you said that provision doesnt look good anywhere where you referring to all over England or did you mean Sheffield?

All over England, though it probably does vary from authority to authority. But all services countrywide have suffered with the Austerity cuts.

Scotland and Wales might be different, they have different systems.

Juliand - you mention leaving 117 care but according to this, that decision is made by the health and social services who are responsible for your care. Have they told you that you can end it yourself? The fact that you are still subject to this after such a long time would seem to point to the fact that your care workers feel that you are still in need of support. As I read it, the purpose of 117 provision is to help the person to remain stable and living in the community, as well as preventing readmission to hospital. Maybe they do not agree to funding this move due to the potential for deterioration in your health. As a single, disabled person with no means of support you could be disadvantaged in a different environment.

It would be unwise to walk away from any of your current care provision as it could be disadvantageous. If you moved to Sheffield, the NHS there would be responsible for your health care but funding for private treatment for the things you mention could well be refused. Believing that Sheffield NHS can offer treatment that Carlisle cannot does not mean that you will necessarily get it. As has been said, there are severe financial pressures on all health authorities and social services departments.

I wonder if you have an unrealistic expectation of what Sheffield is able to offer? This is the link to the Sheffield Autistic Society. Sheffield MIND website is here. Both of those should be able to inform you about the realities of care in Sheffield, and what you can realistically expect. Waiting lists for treatment are in the public domain - you will need to google that yourself. Regarding your back care, folk are usually referred to a physiotherapist but doubt whether you will get regular massage treatment.

Juliand - you mention leaving 117 care but according to this, that decision is made by the health and social services who are responsible for your care. Have they told you that you can end it yourself? The fact that you are still subject to this after such a long time would seem to point to the fact that your care workers feel that you are still in need of support. As I read it, the purpose of 117 provision is to help the person to remain stable and living in the community, as well as preventing readmission to hospital. Maybe they do not agree to funding this move due to the potential for deterioration in your health. As a single, disabled person with no means of support you could be disadvantaged in a different environment.

 

It would be unwise to walk away from any of your current care provision as it could be disadvantageous. If you moved to Sheffield, the NHS there would be responsible for your health care but funding for private treatment for the things you mention could well be refused. Believing that Sheffield NHS can offer treatment that Carlisle cannot does not mean that you will necessarily get it. As has been said, there are severe financial pressures on all health authorities and social services departments.

 

I wonder if you have an unrealistic expectation of what Sheffield is able to offer? This is the link to the Sheffield Autistic Society. Sheffield MIND website is here. Both of those should be able to inform you about the realities of care in Sheffield, and what you can realistically expect. Waiting lists for treatment are in the public domain - you will need to google that yourself. Regarding your back care, folk are usually referred to a physiotherapist but doubt whether you will get regular massage treatment.

Yes I've looked at the link you sent me but i was already aware that it woukd be up to adult social care mainly on if i could leave it, but i will discuss this with her but the problem with that is is that i don't get on very well with her and she doesnt listen very well and sometimes she isn't entirely honest in what she says, so i tend to go elsewhere for advice but i usually go to a professional, like an advocate, so i would prefer talk to my social worker with tge help of someone else like an advocate to support me in what I'm saying and my needs, but I'm currently in the process of getting an advocate.

No they haven't told me if i can end it myself but i will try and get an advocate in my area to support me in this, if i do choose to leave it.

I've gone through in detail with both my social worker and her manager on exactly why i want to move to Sheffield and the types of nhs and private services, I'm looking for alonfg with all the other things I'm looking for in Sheffield for my health and outside of my health. Ive took into consideration of all the other things that i need to consider, like for example if i get any problems with my benefits or anything else to do with my finances, but i will discuss this further with my social worker.

My social knows why i want to move down there and she's even agreed that there's nothing for me in Carlisle and what i need, is in Sheffield but obviously a lot of other cities in England have the types of services I'm looking for, but again i dont to travel too far and it's because Sheffield is one of my favourite cities. So it's not because she is concerned if my health, as she would have told me but she it's mainly to do with costs, but im going to discuss further with her next week.

I'm not disabled i just have a mild form of aspergers without anything serious, but i just have certain difficulties with communication sometimes, especially when making friends but most of the time it's fine, but i do have general anxiety disorder and suffer a lot stress as result of my anxiey, aspergers and because of my bowel illness. I'm not trying to sound aggressive or rude in anyway but I'm only saying this to get more of a clear understanding of me, but I'm very capable of looking after myself and sorting things out but obviously can't do it all by myself and can't allways sort it, but I'll obviously look into the things i need to help me with any future problems i may have if i move to Sheffield.

I didn't say they will but i just meant there's a chance they might agree to direct payments for some of the things, but I'm only going by what i know from asking a few people locally and om Sheffield, and I've also looked it up on gov.uk and a few other websites and yes i know they might not accurate or outdated but all i can do is found out and ask. Yes they probably won't to agree to it but depends on different circumstances and if what ive looked up is outdated and that direct payments cannot be used for anything outside of what the council or adult social care provides, but i won't know until i ask.

I completely aware that they could be consequences of leaving them which I'm going to look into that and ask my social worker about it, but because i don't how much of what she says is exact or not i don't know but i will ask for advice from mental health services in my area to get a clear idea

I will obviously look into everything thoroughly before going ahead and discuss everything with an advocate and my social worker, as i dont won't mess anything up.

There a lot of therapists, including physios and massage therapists, who run there own centres in Sheffield but if the council doesn't agree to direct payments for some of it then, I'll have just pay for as many sessions as i can.

Do you realise that the professionals you see privately are the same professionals (in the majority of cases) that you also see via the NHS, they just have two diaries. So many consultants in Sheffield work at both Hallamshire/Northern General and Thornbury/Claremont etc. There is also a wider range of services available on the NHS due to most people in this country being treated that way. I’ve known a few people who’ve suggested paying to go private due to getting something seen to quicker actually being advised not to as facilities are so vast in NHS hospitals.

It also sounds like a very big ask to have all of your conditions managed and treated privately but funded by the government, money is already so thinly spread and there are so many people in need, if everyone had this there wouldn’t be a penny left.

Quote Juliand: So it's not because she is concerned if my health, as she would have told me but she it's mainly to do with costs, but im going to discuss further with her next week.

It seems doubtful that your care workers in Carlisle will agree to funding this move. It is not their fault - they have budgets to stick to and are audited. According to the information in those links, you can employ a solicitor to argue your case about funding.

With regards to the private treatment, just in case Sheffield will not fund this, it might be useful to telephone some therapists in Sheffield to find out how much they charge. At least you will then know if it is affordable from benefits. According to what I have read, for the health authority to pay out, the treatment needs to be relevant to the reason why you were sectioned in the first place i.e. mental illness and is needed in order to prevent readmission to hospital. They could argue that your back problem is physical, therefore they are not responsible for private treatment of this. Of course you could argue that you need it to maintain good mental health.

From what you have said you are doing well in Carlisle and have received some good support. At least you have stayed out of hospital. This is complex but hopefully you will get it resolved in the fullness of time. Please remember that treatment is only a very small part of your day to day life. Getting out and about, meeting people etc will help to improve your communication skills. Have you tried some kind of hobby or voluntary work? Could you cope with some kind of part time paid employment? Lots of things to think about to help you enjoy the community you are in.

Hello.

I'm not an expert, and these are really complex issues. Hopefully this will help.

Firstly, some questions: Are you currently receiving support funded by the s117 aftercare? Have you had a review of the care plan recently? If you weren't receiving the s117 aftercare, how would you fund any support?

I assume you have your own property? How would you fund a property in Sheffield? if you will be relying on Housing Benefit to pay the rent, you may find it diffult to secure a private rented tenancy in Sheffield.

As far as I know, the s117 aftercare can only be ended by a professional (https://www.rethink.org/living-with-mental-illness/mental-health-laws/section-117-aftercare/ending-s117).

If you were not receiving the s117, would you need social care funding to pay for support? If you wanted to be assessed for social care funding, you would need to approach your Local Authority's Adult Social Care department and ask them for an assessment. This would probably be a Care Act assessment. After the assessment, if you met the criteria, you would be able to use funds to pay for some support.

If you want to try and get NHS funding to pay for support, you will need to go through that process.

There are some specialist services in Sheffield. Some of them will be run as voluntary groups. Some of the agencies will be funded by people paying for their services, or using Direct Payments.

My advice is to use the advocate to support you working with the professional who is overseeing your care plan. See if you can improve things that way. Alternatively, ask about moving with the existing s117 aftercare, but this is likely to be a complex process. An advocate may be able to advise if there are any other ways of getting funds for ongoing support.