Paula Braynion, Managing Director at Community Interest Company Future Directions CIC, shares her thoughts on emerging trends and strategies that are transforming the future of person-centred care and support
Person-centred care is about putting individuals at the heart of everything we do—focusing on their needs, dreams, and aspirations. Rather than offering one-size-fits-all services, it’s about delivering personalised support that empowers people to live their best lives. At Future Directions, we believe that true person-centred care requires collaboration, creativity, and active involvement of those we support.
The Great Lives Report from Learning Disability England (LDE), co-produced with families and Experts-by-Experience, echoes this ethos. It outlines how to create better lives for people with learning disabilities by working together for change. The report challenges providers to move beyond standard care models and instead, aim for a human rights-focused approach where the individual’s hopes and dreams are the priority. But what does this look like in practice?
SPICE and Training
At Future Directions, we ensure the people we support are fully included in delivering training to our staff. SPICE, (Supporting People into Community Employment) is one of our most successful initiatives. Originally set up to help people with learning disabilities and autism build skills and confidence for employment, SPICE has evolved into a vital force for inclusion. The group now plays a key role in co-developing and delivering training for both Future Directions staff and external organisations, such as Salford University, the NHS, and the Police.
SPICE members use their lived experiences to provide powerful insights. When they share their personal stories, it makes the training much more meaningful for learners, helping to challenge stereotypes and change perceptions about people with learning disabilities and autism. This inclusive approach empowers the people we support while also fostering positive attitudes and better understanding among our staff and wider audiences.
Autism Virtual Reality (VR) Training
We’ve also embraced innovative approaches like Autism VR Training, developed in collaboration with VR Doctors. This virtual reality tool allows staff to experience what it feels like to be autistic, based on the real-life experiences of the autistic people we support. The training offers a first-hand perspective of the sensory differences that autistic individuals face, building empathy and understanding among our staff.
By immersing learners in this unique experience, we aim to create more compassionate care environments that accommodate the needs of autistic people. This type of training goes beyond theory, helping staff to develop a deeper connection with those they support and providing them with the tools to offer better, more sensitive care.
Outcomes-Based Care
A key challenge in the sector is how care is traditionally commissioned—typically by the number of hours delivered. This method fails to promote true person-centred care and limits the opportunity for individuals to lead fulfilling lives. Future Directions has shifted away from this outdated system in one of our contract areas, adopting an Outcomes-based model. This approach aligns with our values and allows for greater flexibility and creativity in how we support people.
The outcomes-based model focuses on the person’s goals and ambitions, ensuring that care is not just about meeting basic needs but about enhancing the individual’s quality of life. It gives the people we support more control and choice, empowering them to make decisions about their care. This model has led to improvements in engagement, independence, and satisfaction for those we support.
By focusing on outcomes rather than hours, we have also been able to achieve efficiencies, allowing us to reinvest resources into providing more flexible support as people’s needs change. In some cases, these savings have been passed back to commissioners, demonstrating the model’s cost-effectiveness while still delivering excellent care.
The Future of Person-Centred Care
Person-centred care will continue to evolve, particularly where providers embrace values-based cultures that put people first. Involving those we support in all levels of decision-making, from training to service development, is key to driving meaningful change. The outdated hours-based commissioning model needs to be replaced with an outcomes-driven approach that prioritises quality of life over quantity of care.
At Future Directions, we believe that working together with the people we support and commissioning for outcomes, not hours, will help the social care sector move towards more personalised, meaningful support. By embracing innovation, creativity, and collaboration, we can ensure that person-centred care remains the foundation of everything we do, enabling individuals to live their best lives.
@FDirectionsCIC
futuredirectionscic.co.uk
Image depicts, Paula Braynion, Managing Director, Future Directions CIC