Helen's Biography
Helen Sanderson leads HSA and is Vice Chair of the International Learning Community for Person Centred Practices.
Helen Sanderson
I have been immersed in the development of person-centred thinking and planning in the UK over the last fifteen years. It would be fair to say I have been obsessed with it. Let me share examples of my obsession:
- I was the Department of Health's expert advisor on person-centred approaches to the Valuing People Support and Putting People First Teams.
- I co-authored the first Department of Health Guidance on person-centred planning, and the 2010 guidance 'Personalisation through person-centred planning'.
- I am the primary author of People, Plans and Possibilities: exploring person centred planning (1997), the first book on person-centred planning in the UK, emerging from three years research.
- My PhD is on person-centred planning and organisational change and I have written over fifteen books on person-centred thinking, planning, community and personalisation.
I started off working in health as an occupational therapist, and then in social care for over 25 years. Now I lead HSA, and am the Vice-Chair of the International Learning Community for Person-Centred Practices. I have been lucky enough to take my passion for all things person-centred abroad and have provided consultancy in Europe, Japan, Australia and America.
I am proud that HSA was one of the founding partners of in Control, and we have led the developments in support planning in health and social care. We supported half of the original in Control pilot sites; worked with the Individual Budget Pilot Programme; the Children's Individual Budget pilot and many of the personal health budget pilots sites.
I live in Heaton Moor with Andy and my three daughters, Ellie, Laura and Kate, together with a dog, cats and hens. Although I am a black belt in karate, I now try to spend more time doing yoga, and am learning mindfulness. I am part of three circles of support, and grateful for what I learn working together through circles. I used to be an aromatherapist (but usually keep that quiet). I volunteer at the primary school that my girls went to, helping them to use person-centred practices. I love single malt whiskey and always have a range of black teas (drunk disgustingly weak).
Awards
I am delighted that our work has been recognised with a few awards:
- In 2009 Helen and HSA won a National Training Award for creating person-centred change within United Response.
- In 2011 Helen won the Laing and Buisson award for Personalisation with Steve Scown for their book 'Making it Personal - a providers journey from tradition to transformation'
- In 2011 HSA was 'Highly Commended' in the Health Service Journal Awards for their work in managing Long Term Conditions.
Books
I love to write to consolidate my learning and to work with others. I write a (usually weekly) blog and typically have a book or a chapter on the go.
Creating Person-Centred Organisations (2012 - in press) Stirk, S., and Sanderson, H., Jessica Kingsley Publications
A Practical Guide to Delivering Personalisation - Person-Centred Practice in Health and Social Care (2012) Sanderson, H., and Lewis, J., Jessica Kingsley Publications
Making It Personal - for everyone. From block contracts to Individual Service Funds (2011) Scown, S., and Sanderson, H., HSA Press
Getting a Job, Getting a Life and Getting it Right - 6 ways to support young disabled people into work (2011) Gitsham, N., Sanderson, H., Jordan, L., Lewis, J. and El Baz, F., HSA Press
Making It Personal - a provider's journey from tradition to transformation
(2010) Scown, S., and Sanderson, H., HSA Press
In Community (2009) Poll, C., Kennedy, J., and Sanderson, H., (Eds) HSA Press
Celebrating Families (2008) Sanderson, H., and Taylor, M., HSA Press
Developing Person-Centred Approaches in Schools (2007) Murray, P., and Sanderson, H., HSA Press
Person-Centred Thinking with Older People (2007) Bowers, H., Bailey, G., Sanderson, H., Easterbrook, L. and Macadam, A. HSA Press
Person-Centred Practice for Professionals (2007) Thompson, J., Kilbane, J., and Sanderson, H., Open University Press
Essential Lifestyle Planning for All (2005) Smull, M., and Sanderson, H., HSA Press
People, Plans and Practicalities (2003) Ritchie, P., Sanderson, H., Kilbane, J., Routledge, M., SHS Ltd., Edinburgh
Friendship and Community (2002) Kennedy, J., Sanderson, H., and Wilson, H., NWTDT - Whalley
Essential Lifestyle Planning: A Handbook for Facilitators (2001) Smull, M., and Sanderson, H., NWTDT, Whalley
People, Plans and Possibilities (1999) Sanderson, H., Kennedy, J., Ritchie, P., and Goodwin, G., SHS Ltd., Edinburgh
Click here for the pdf of Helen's biography.
- About us
- What We Do
- Where
- How
- Who
- Families
- Children, Young People and Transition
- Older People
- People with Health Issues
- People with Long Term Health Conditions
- People and End of Life
- People with Dementia
- People with Developmental /Learning Disabilities
- People with Mental Health Issues
- People who are Homeless
- People who use Substances
- People who Experience Domestic Violence
- People with acquired brain injury
- Training & Consultancy
- Our Programmes
- Our Courses
- An Introduction to Personalisation in Health
- Developing Person Centred Teams and Implementing Planning.
- Developing Support Plans
- Essential Lifestyle Planning - Train the Trainers.
- Essential Lifestyle Planning Facilitator Training.
- Habits for highly effective staff Using person-centred thinking in day-to-day work
- Just Enough Support
- Learning and Reflection Day for Support Planners
- Managers and Person Centred Practices - using the new "Progress for Providers for Managers" - Checking your progress in using Person Centred Approaches
- MAP and PATH.
- Marketing your Organisation for Personalisation.
- One Page Profiles.
- Outcome Focused Reviews.
- Outcome Focused Reviews - An Introduction.
- Pathways and Profiles
- Person Centred Reviews - Transition Reviews and Citizenship Reviews.
- Person Centred Reviews: Important To/For and Working/Not Working Reviews
- Person Centred Reviews in Transition: Using the Transition Pathways
- Person Centred Risk.
- Person Centred Supervision.
- Person Centred Thinking - Train the Trainers.
- Person Centred Thinking Skills.
- Person Centred Thinking Skills with Older People
- Person Centred Thinking Skills with people who are living with Dementia
- Planning Live! Workshop.
- Positive and Productive Meetings.
- Progress for Providers and Customer Journey.
- Re-ablement (1-Day).
- Re-ablement (2 day)
- Re-ablement, the New Journey. Design Day.
- Support Planning in Health
- Support Planning Awareness Day
- The changing role of the health care practitioner within personal health budgets
- Workforce Development Strategy Day.
- Working Together for Change.
- Working with Decision-Makers in Health (The people who sign off Support Plans)
- Reading Room
- Where
- Who
- Families
- Children, Young People and Transition
- Older People
- People with Health Issues
- People with Long Term Health Conditions
- People and End of Life
- People with Dementia
- People with Developmental/Learning Disabilities
- People with Mental Health Issues
- People who are Homeless
- People who use Substances
- People who Experience Domestic Violence
- People with aquired brain injury
- How
- Resources
- Blogs
- Helen (UK)
- Amanda (USA)
- Deb (Australia)
- Julie (Canada)
- HSA Foundation
- Liz and Sarah Jane (Celebrating Families)
- Think About Your Life
- Jane (Cancer Survivor)
- Norris Bank Primary School
- Oxley Park Academy
- Dimensions (Provider)
- Care UK (Provider)
- Living Ambitions (Provider)
- Certitude (Provider)
- Real Life Options (Provider)
- Hull City Council
- Action on Hearing Loss
- Gill (HSA)