Barbara leads on consultancy work undertaken by the Foundation. This includes work with external organisations focusing on staff development, service development, working with communities to be more inclusive of people with learning disabilities and mentoring managers.

Until 2003, Barbara worked as Co-Director at the Institute for Applied Health and Social Policy, King’s College London. From 1994-2000, she Barbara worked at the King’s Fund leading ‘Changing Days’, a national programme to improve opportunities both in services and in the community for people with learning disabilities.

Barbara has also worked in the NHS and Social Services where she specialised in disability, working with both adults and children. She was a member of the team working with the Department of Health to produce  the national policy, ‘Valuing People’.

Other areas of work at the Foundation have included:

• a lead role with Lancaster University in national research funded by the Department of Health on Person Centred Planning
• a national role in improving traditional day services, moving away from people being in service systems by creating positive opportunities for community inclusion
• as a Board member of ‘In Control’ with a particular focus on people with learning disabilities having self directed funding to improve quality of life

Her special interests include:

• re-shaping public sector services to be more person centred
• developing the voluntary sector
• shifting power to those who use services
• ensuring that families are recognised as full partners

Barbara comes from Canada and has lived in the UK since being a student at the London School of Economics. She has a BA in Anthropolgy and Social work and an MSc in Health and Social Policy.

Recent publications

Emerson, E. McIntosh, B., et al. The Impact of Person Centred Planning. Lancaster: University of Lancaster. June 2005

McIntosh B. Person Centred Approaches. Can it Make a Difference to People with High Support Needs? PMLD Link Journal. September 2004

McIntosh B. Person Centred Planning Into Practice. Living Well, Vol.3 Issue 1. Pavilion Publishing. 2003

McIntosh B. Modernising Day Services - Lessons Learnt in the Changing Days Project. Joseph Rowntree Foundation. 2003

Cole A, McIntosh B and Whittaker A. We Want Our Voices Heard. Developing New Lifestyles with Disabled People.  London: The Policy Press for the Joseph Rowntree Foundation. 2000

McIntosh B and Whittaker A, (Editors) Unlocking The Future. London: King's Fund. 2000

McIntosh B and Whittaker A, (Editors) Days of Change. London : King's Fund.1998

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