Fellow wins major international award

Steven Rose, CEO of Choice Support and a fellow of The Centre wins Platinum Award for work on ISFs.

News | 19.06.15

Steven Rose, Chief Executive of Choice Support, has been awarded the 2015 Platinum Medal of the European Society for Person-Centered Healthcare (ESPCH).

The award, the ESPCH’s highest honour, was given at the society’s annual conference in Madrid on 18 June 2015 for:

“…proven outstanding and long term commitment to the person-centered care of people living with profound learning disabilities, continuously since 1974… He has shown a lifetime of dedication to the person-centered care of people living with challenging learning disabilities…"

There were 382 nominations for the award, which recognises achievement and excellence in the design, delivery, evaluation and measurement of person-centred services, and person-centered healthcare advocacy, scholarship, research and teaching.

In particular the ESPCH acknowledged Steven’s work leading Choice Support’s partnership with Southwark Adult Services to implement a radical personalisation programme in adult community learning disability services between 2010 and 2014. 

The award citation says:

“He has overseen a personalisation programme that has resulted in a significant improvement in the life of adults with learning difficulties… [it] has replaced a standard level of support funded through a block grant with person-centered care and support organized through person-centered plans and individual service funds. Formal analysis of this scheme has not only demonstrated that is has resulted in an improvement in the lives of people (and their families) with profound learning disabilities, but that it has achieved significant savings in addition. Mr. Rose´s efforts have resulted in a new model of care for people with learning disabilities in the UK, with lessons cross-applicable in Europe.”

Independent research by the Social and Health Evaluation Unit of Bucks New University, published in the report Better Lives (see below), verifies that this initiative reduced costs by nearly 30%, increased quality and delivered more personalised services.

On receiving the award Steven Rose said:

“I’m delighted that the innovation, commitment and hard work of Choice Support’s staff in Southwark, London, has been recognised and in accepting the Platinum medal I must acknowledge that the effort and achievement was not mine alone but that of many of our dedicated staff."

"The significant savings and improvements to people’s lives achieved through person centred approaches and individualised funding have already been validated by independent research. It is a very great honour to receive further recognition from the European Society for Person-Centered Health Care.” 

Steven Rose is also a Fellow of The Centre for Welfare Reform. 

Dr Simon Duffy, Director of The Centre for Welfare Reform said:

"This is a great achievement and rightly recognises the valuable contribution Steven continues to make in helping people with learning disabilities achieve full citizenship. Pioneering work like this takes vision and determination, often in the face of cynicism and complacency. Choice Support's work in Southwark could well be one of the great breakthrough moments for social care in England."