You may be eligible to request an assessment if you are a vulnerable adult, for example, you have a physical impairment, a sensory loss, a terminal illness, are developing confusion/dementia, are frail, are vulnerable to the risk of neglect or abuse, have a learning disability, have a mental health problem, leaving hospital or are a carer.
What is an assessment?
You may be finding it harder to manage at home or to live your life to the full and would like to know what advice and support could help you manage with more confidence or plan for the future.
Before we can help we will need to know more about your circumstances. This will be in the form of an assessment. The purpose of the assessment is to find out the things you can do for yourself, the things you need help or support with and how these may impact upon or prevent you from living a full and independent life.
What does an assessment involve?
An assessment process involves and centres around you and maybe undertaken with a representative from social services, i.e a social worker or occupational therapist. We may also ask other professionals to undertake the assessment on our behalf such as community or district nurses, for example.
Sometimes the assessor will need to talk to other people who are involved in your care such as your doctor, your family, friends, neighbours and carers to make sure that you get all the help you need. If we speak to someone else about your situation or provide them with information about your circumatsnaces, we will ask your permission first.
What am I likely to be asked during the assessment?
During the assessment you will be ask various questions about your situation, and the type of help that you think you need. These include:
- What is the nature of your problem(s)?
- How significant is this problem for you or your carer(s)?
- How long have you experienced this problem(s)?
- In what way do you think we can help?
- Do you have any other problems or issues?
- Have you experienced any recent life events or changes relevant to the problem(s)?
- What are the views of your family and carers about the problem(s)?
By talking to you, your assessor will be trying to establish your strengths, and the areas where you could benefit by receiving some help. They may ask you about:
- Your health, and whether you have any medical conditions, or are receiving treatment, or taking medication.
- Your mental health, including your memory, your mood and motivation.
- Your mobility around the house and outdoors, including any difficulties with steps and being able to use transport.
- Your hearing, sight and speech.
- Your personal care - how you are managing with washing, dressing, bathing, eating, drinking and toileting.
- Your domestic arrangements - how you are managing with cooking, cleaning, ironing, laundry, shopping, and looking after your finances.
- Your home - is the accommodation suitable for you or does it need adapting?
- Your lifestyle, and the support you receive from other organisations, family and friends.
- Your carer (if you have one).
During your assessment:
- We will consider your views and wishes.
- You can have a friend, relative or someone else to help you or speak for you, if you want.
- We will arrange for an interpreter if you do not speak english or if you use sign language.
- We will consider your carer's views.
Will I be eligible for help?
When we have worked with you to find out what it is you hope to achieve and what it is that you need in order to do this, your needs will be considered to determine whether they are eligible for support. We will do this by looking at the risks to your independence. This will be undertaken in a transparent way so that you can:
- Gain a better understanding of your situation.
- Identify the options that are available for managing your own life.
- Identify the outcomes required from any help that we provide.
- Understand the basis on which decisions are reached.
We decide eligibility on the basis of our eligibility criteria which is based upon the level of risk to your independence, and risk to the safety and well being of others if we do not provide help or support services.
There are 4 levels of risk:
- Critical Risk
- Substantial Risk
- Moderate Risk
- Low Risk
Currently, those needs that are eligible for services in Caerphilly County Borough Council will be those assessed as Critical, Substantial or Moderate Risk to independence, for example:
- people whose personal safety could be at risk, or who could be a risk to the safety of others etc.
- people who need help to carry out basic functions like getting up and going to bed, getting washed and dressed, having a bath, and making a meal etc.
Those people, who's needs are assessed as being at Low Risk will be provided with advice and information only.
Account will be taken of both your current situation and any likely changes in the foreseeable future. Evidence of eligibility will be recorded within the assessment and explained to you.
How do I request an assessment or care plan review?
If you would like us to carry out an assessment of your needs you can submit your request online.
Alternatively, call ASDIT on freephone 0808 100 2500.
What happens after the assessment has been completed?
If we identify that you have needs that are eligible for help, any services or support to be arranged will be will be written down in a care plan.
This care plan will explain:
- The things that you need help with.
- How your needs will be responded to and any risks managed.
- The services you will receive to meet those needs, who will provide them and where and when they will be provided.
- What we hope the services will achieve for you.
- The name of your social worker or the person who will be responsible for managing your care.
- The arrangements that have been put in place to monitor your care.
- A contingency plan if appropriate.
If the outcome of the assessment finds that you are not eligible for help from social services, we may be able to help you in other ways by offering you advice and/or information or putting you in touch with other agencies who can help you.
Will the services provided to me be reviewed?
We will carry out an initial review of your care plan with you within 3 months of providing services. This will usually occur after 4-6 weeks after care and support has been arranged to ensure that the quantity and quality is sufficient to meet your needs. If you still need the help and support after this time and your situauation is stable your care plan will then be reviewed every 12 months by a member of our Review Team.
The overall aim of the Review Team is to undertake all annual/planned care plan reviews across the Adult Services Division of Caerphilly County Borough Council. The Review Team's primary aim is to ensure that service users remain eligible for a service and that the services provided to them is meeting their identified needs.
A review may also, if appropriate, reduce, increase or withdraw services depending on the outcome of the review. If the review identifies that a service user's needs have deteriorated then the review will trigger a new assessment of need. This is generally undertaken by the relevant social work team but may be undertaken by the Review Team in special circumstances.
Further information
If you require any further information or advice about needs assessment, the process or eligibility criteria, contact ASDIT on freephone 0808 100 2500.