National Care Service Charter of Rights: Co-design Agreeing Phase Report

What we learned

1. People said the new Charter content was clear, accurate and useful. Children and young people also said the Children’s Rights section was easy to understand.

Some sections needed more detail to help people understand their rights and how to get support. Feedback included:

• more information on supported decision-making
• clearer and more accurate information on self-directed support
• more detail in the complaints section to help people feel supported

Here are some of the things people said during our discussions:

“It’s important for people to understand how the SDS [self-directed support] system works — including why they might not receive what they believe they are entitled to.”

“…it might be useful if it actually breaks down the process of what SDM [supported decision-making] is a bit more.’

“It may feel very difficult to make a complaint when you’re relying on that person for personal care and your day to day needs.”

How we will use this

We updated the self-directed support section to include links to support services, such as Support in the Right Direction, and the self-directed support standards.

We added more detail on supported decision-making.

We updated the complaints section to acknowledge that making a complaint can be difficult and to explain how people can get support.

2. People wanted clearer information on ‘rights’ and ‘expectations’.

Some people said the difference between a right and an expectation could be explained more clearly and that it would be useful to include guidance on how to use the Charter.

How we will use this

We made the difference between rights and expectations clearer in the introduction. We listed rights in the contents page and started each section with “you have rights to”. We used design and colour to highlight rights in the final Charter.

We have published a separate paper explaining the rights in the Charter.

3. The Charter must use simple language so it is accessible to everyone.

During co-design, some people told us that some parts of the Charter were hard to read. They suggested we include a glossary to explain complex terms.

Other points around this included:

• links to other information should be together in one place
• some words do not translate easily into British Sign Language (BSL)

Here are some of the things people said during our discussions:

“Maybe at the back, if there’s any complicated words, have a glossary page with the meaning of those words…”

“Charter is jargon–heavy so need a clear BSL translation, almost like a glossary. Some vocabulary doesn’t exist in BSL”

“The contacts at each stage are helpful – should include a final list at the end…It would be helpful to have a detailed contact list at the back of the Charter…”

How we will use this

We have added a glossary to the back of the Charter to explain key terms. We also reviewed the document to remove jargon and replaced difficult phrases with clearer language.

We have used feedback to make sure the Charter is accurate when translated into BSL and other languages.

4. People told us they need more information on governance of the Charter

People told us they need more information on how the Charter relates to the National Care Service (NCS). There was also a request for more detail on how social care is delivered, specifically the roles of:

• Health and Social Care Partnerships (HSCPs)
• local councils
• Integration Joint Boards (IJBs)

Other points around this included:

• there is confusion about what the NCS is, as it is in the title of the Charter but not mentioned in the main text
• the Charter needs more information on the duties of local councils and service providers to make its purpose clear

Here are some of the things people said during our discussions:

“what role the IJB [Integrated Joint Boards] and HSCP [Health and Social Care Partnerships] have in the care system and what the National Care service actually means”

How we will use this

We have included a description of the NCS in the glossary. We have added information that explains who is responsible for delivering care, including information about IJBs and HSCPs.

We have also included information about some of the specific duties that local councils have. This should help to clarify who is responsible for providing care and what should be expected from them.

5. People prefer the design version of the Charter with photographs

Most people (77%) who tested our prototypes preferred the cover with photographs They felt it was more inclusive, friendly and engaging.

However, some people preferred the version with graphics because it was simpler and less distracting. We also received feedback that both versions needed better text size and spacing.

Other points around this included:

• images: while the photos were engaging, some felt they did not represent everyone the Charter supports
• layout: the two-column format was difficult to read and follow
• content page: more people preferred the detailed contents page

How we will use this

We have used feedback to create the final design. To make the Charter more inclusive and easier to read, we have:

• updated the photos - we have used images that reflect all age groups and show people active in their communities, not just receiving care
• changed the layout - we have used a single column format to make the text easier to follow
• used the more detailed contents page
• improved accessibility - we have made sure the Charter works with screen readers and that all images have "alt text" (descriptions for people who cannot see the images)