This article reviews research in Scotland based on the experiences of twelve people with dementia who used direct payments.

Key points:

• Practitioners should maximise opportunities for people to hear about different self-directed care.
• Local authorities have often been slow to embrace people with dementia within the personalisation agenda. This is despite, as demonstrated by the case studies outlined, provision through direct payments and other forms of self-directed support being particularly suited to meet ongoing and long-term support needs characteristic of this group.
• The mix of health and social care support required by people with dementia highlights the need for resource mechanisms which can successfully pool health and social care budgets. Strategies should be informed by the early lessons from the personal health budget pilots.

Download: Direct payments for people with dementia