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Local Authority Care Needs Assessment

Local Authority Care Needs Assessment

A care or needs assessment byย the Local Authority will determine the kinds of careย that might be needed and importantly how it might be paid for.ย  Local Authorities are obliged to undertake aย  assessments forย the carer and the one being cared for regardless of their finances or perceived eligibility.

Even if your parents know they will be paying for their own care, there will be some care and funding that isn’t means tested.ย  So it’s worth encouraging your parents to be assessed.

As part of the efforts toย join up health and social care, the assessment focuses on meetingย needs rather than simply providing services.ย  The GP might suggest an assessment; you can apply online on local authority websites or call to arrange an appointment.ย  There may well be a delay in getting an assessment done as Social Services are pretty stretched, but it will be worth it.

We have set out the key things you need to know about the local authority care needs assessment below โ€“ the language of care is sometimes a bit dense โ€“ so weโ€™ve tried to untangle it but itโ€™s useful to know what specific things are called/referred to in local-authority speak so you know what youโ€™re looking for.

Key Things You Should Know
Assessment for your parents/relatives

A national framework now exists that every council must use, and it focuses the assessment onย eligible needs. Local authorities have a responsibility to ensure the integration of care and support with health and health-related services, including housing. People will have the local authority care needs assessment carried out on the basis of their general well-being and not just their personal care needs, and will be based on three tests:

keythings

  • If the needs arise from a physical or mental impairment or illness
  • If your parent is unable to achieve two or more of the specified โ€œcare outcomesโ€ (see below)
  • If there is likely to be a significant impact on their well-being.

The local authority care needs assessmentย mayย be prepared by a person or organisation to whom the Authority has outsourced the task, but the primary requirement is that this report is done, following a review of the person and any other information, such as medical records or data provided by the carer.ย  Also ย – please note that – includedย is an obligation on the local authority to ensure that the person under assessment is able to involve their spouse/carer/relative fully in the assessment process.ย  Plus โ€“ all of the individuals needs should be recorded as part of the assessment, regardless of whether these needs will be met by the local authority according to criteria.

Our advice is to be with your elderly parent for the local authority care needs assessment if you possibly can. Not only can you help avoid the โ€œstiff upper lipโ€ approach that some parents may take, minimising or downplaying their health/care issues for theย  needs assessment,ย  but you can ensure that it covers all your parentโ€™s health and social care needs.

The โ€˜care outcomesโ€™ that the local authority will consider are:
  • Managing and maintaining nutrition
  • Maintaining personal hygiene
  • Managing toilet needs
  • Being appropriately clothed
  • Being able to make use of the adultโ€™s home safely
  • Maintaining a habitable home environment
  • Developing and maintaining family or other personal relationships
  • Accessing and engaging in work, training, education or volunteering
  • Making use of local community facilities or services including public transport
  • Caring out any caring resonsibilities the adult has for a childoutcomes

Following the assessment and If the criteria are met, the Authority must produce a detailed plan and a personal budget.ย  The local authority must also provide information on what care is available and how to access these services, even if it will not be provided by the local authority. It will not be enough for the Authority to say that this information is available on its website, but must ensure that it is accessible to anyone with particular needs.

What you should do now

Any relative or carer of any adult with needs should contact their local GP or health centre to find out who is responsible for the preparation of the crucial care and support needsย assessment in their area.ย  Armed with this the stress and strain of helping an elderly relative or friend should be much more straightforward.ย Remember, the primary responsibility on local authorities is not to provide “services”ย but to meet the needs of the adults in their area.

whatyoushouldknow

For more general information, the Which Guide has excellent information about the local authorityย care needs assessment.