People with a learning disability are supported in a number of different ways by different internal services within the Council. Some are supported directly by the council, whilst others  are supported by an external provider, with an oversight from the Council.  

Paul had been supported for several years by us, though lived out of borough. His support provider, Hft, had supported him in both residential and supported living. Paul also enjoyed visiting day opportunities in his local area, and never wanted to miss out on taking part in activities, such as arts and crafts, and drawing.

Patrick Patterson, Access and Support Officer at Camden Council, was involved with ensuring Paul was receiving the correct and the highest quality of care. Access and Support Officers review people supported by the Council once a year, both in and out of borough. Patrick would travel up to Paul’s home and, whilst there, spend time with Paul, look at his home, and assess the support he was receiving, this would include HFT staff and Paul’s family. Patrick would look at Paul’s appearance, his finances, and his bedroom with permission from Paul. He would then carry out an assessment to say whether he felt the care Paul was receiving was still sufficient and if he met any of his goals and outcomes. The two first met whilst Paul was living in a residential home unit, based on the town’s high street.

Mencap created a breakdown of the types of accommodation people with a learning disability live in in 2016. They found that 38% of people were living with friends or family, 22% lived in a registered care home, 16% lived in supported accommodation, 12% in local authority or housing associated accommodation, with the remaining 12% living in private or other accommodation. They identified that, out of the people living with friends and family, around 70% want to change their current housing arrangements to achieve more independence. The level of choice a person will receive differs between types of service. Paul’s place in the residential block didn’t allow him the space to make choices about his own home, but given his capacity, it was determined that a supported living arrangement would better fit Paul.

When it was decided that Paul would move into Supported Living, Patrick was involved in looking at, and assessing a potential new home. Most importantly though, Paul himself was able to view his perspective new home to see if he felt comfortable there. Patrick arrived to conduct Camden’s routine assessment on Paul’s potential new home. He met with Paul, who was so taken by his new home, he was able to direct Patrick to the address!

Once it was decided that the home would be suitable for Paul, steps were taken to ensure that the move was conducted as quickly and efficiently as possible. The new home gave Paul much more space, and control over his own room. Paul wanted to decorate his room and was able to make choices about the colour of the walls, where his bed would be placed, and decorations.

The changes in Paul between the two houses were striking. Paul would visit his brother David and his family regularly and go on walks in the countryside. At his previous address, Paul would get tearful before leaving. Now, with his new home, Paul was able to look forward to returning to a space he could call his own.

Paul’s health unfortunately took a turn for the worse. He had suffered with a chest infection for a while, and it had worsened. He was taken to the local hospital where he was treated for pneumonia. David, and the rest of Paul’s family were informed by HFT, along with Patrick. HFT stayed in constant contact, informing the family of Paul’s condition. Members of HFT staff visited Paul outside of their work hours and remained with him to help him feel comfortable. Paul was in hospital for 5 weeks before sadly passing away.

Following Paul’s death, staff informed the family, and later Camden Council. When news of Paul’s death reached the council, the system was updated promptly to reflect, LeDeR forms were completed, and a certificate created and uploaded to relevant systems.

“Paul was well looked after, liked where he was living. He was always really happy and nice to be around” -Patrick

Remembering Paul and the life he lived highlights how important he was to both his family and other people who knew him. The teams who supported Paul throughout his life, both at HFT and Camden, ensured that he was able to live a fulfilling life. He was able to choose what he wanted his home to look like, take part in the activities he wanted to, and touch the lives of those around him.