Meet Gordon McClurg

Community Care Minister, Stephen Ladyman, recently reminded councils that direct payments can be used by individuals to pay close relatives. The reminder is timely as it seems many people remain confused about what the direct payments scheme allows them to do.


Luckily, there are people to turn to for advice - Gordon McClurg runs his own business helping people with muscular dystrophy use the scheme.

How did you manage before the 1996 Community Care (Direct Payments) Act came into force?

Prior to 1997, I still lived at home and my Mum and Dad delivered all of my care outside of school hours. I applied for direct payments when I was 18 and about to begin University.

How long have you employed personal carers?

I have been employing my own personal carers for seven years.

What are the benefits of the scheme?

With direct payments I have full control over all aspects of my care allowing me to have full independence from my parents! I can now do what I want, when I want to do it. The same goes for my Mum and Dad, I suppose!

I have full choice over who my carers are - I select people of a similar age who have similar interests to me.

Is it difficult to get funding?

The funding is available and those who receive care are legally entitled to direct payments. However, many social services departments are resistant to giving direct payments and the control that goes with it.

When I first applied for direct payments I was told that it wasn't available to people in my area because they said they didn't want it. I pointed out that this was not true, as I wanted direct payments and had applied for them. In the end I went to the council's elected members, who reviewed this decision and gave the director of social services the power to grant me direct payments.

I have heard of many cases where people have difficulty accessing direct payments, even though they are entitled to them. The legislation seems to be interpreted differently by different authorities.

How do you go about recruiting a personal carer?

Before you recruit a carer you need to know exactly what they need to do for you. For this reason it is a good idea to write down your daily care regime, and all of the things carers need to do. From this you can draw up a detailed job description.

You then need to think about the type of person you are looking for, i.e. what personal qualities they need to have; what skills they need, such as a driving license. From this personal specification you can draw up an advert for the position. There are a number of places where you can advertise free of charge, such as the Job Centre or the Student Jobshop of the local University(ies).

On my advert I ask applicants to ring me for a chat about the job. When they ring up, I give them a short screening interview over the phone to find out if they would be suitable to come for an interview. If they are successful in the first stage, I invite them to come out and meet me for an interview.

What tips would you give to someone interviewing a potential personal carer?

Interviews should be rather informal in order to make the candidate feel comfortable. My interviews are carried out in three parts:

Part 1
I find out as much as possible about the candidate, covering everything from their last years at school through to the present. This is so I can get a good picture of who the candidate is, if they have the right skills and personal qualities, and whether I think I can get on with them.

Part 2
I tell them about my condition, the implications this has on my daily life and the things that carers need to do for me. I tell them about myself as they also need to decide whether they would like to work with me. Then I show them around my home so they can see the working environment and the equipment they would be using.

Part 3
I tell them the terms and conditions of the job and give them a detailed job description that shows them how the position is structured (in two shifts). Next I tell them about the training they would undergo if they're successful, the rates of pay and how and when they would be paid.

At the end of the interview I tell them that I will consider their application and let them know within 48 hours whether they have been successful or not. If successful, they are offered a position and invited back to a contracting meeting.

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