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CARERS' ASSESSMENTS |
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Adult Social Care and Health (formally Social Services) can arrange services to help with daily living tasks and to allow people to remain as independent as possible. Adult Social Care and Health also has duties and responsibilities to help and support you as a Carer Carers Assessments - Under the Carers and Disabled Children Act 2000, Carers aged 16 or over who provide a regular and substantial amount of care for someone aged 18 or over have the right to an assessment of their needs as a Carer. If you have parental responsibility for a disabled child, your needs as a Carer will be assessed as part of a Family Needs Assessment. If there is more than one Carer providing regular care in your household, each is entitled to an assessment. The Carers (Equal Opportunities) Act 2004 placed a duty on Local Authorities to ensure that all Carers know that they are entitled to an assessment of their needs, and to consider a Carer's outside interests - work, study or leisure - when carrying out an assessment. The Care Manager is the person who will carry out assessments for you and/or the person you care for. The assessment should provide you with the opportunity to talk to the Care Manager about your circumstances and identify services which will support you as a Carer. These are some areas you may wish to consider:
You can either have your Carer's Assessment at the same time as an assessment for the person you care for (joint assessment) or you can make arrangements to speak with the Care Manager separately at another time f you are unsure how an assessment will benefit you, use the 'Carer Checklist' - (click here for a copy). This will allow you to reflect on your caring role, and any areas in which you would benefit from support Community Care Assessments - This is an assessment for the person you care for. It is often the first step to accessing help and support. The Care Manager will look at the individual's needs and abilities and will fully involve them in the assessment. They will take the family's needs into consideration and family members can be present if the cared for person wishes. The types of services which may be identified include
Occupational Therapy Assessments (click here for document) - This explains the four level assessment process used by the Occupational Therapy department of Adult Social Care and Health. If, after the initial assessment, a person is not eligible for services, they will be provided with alternative sources of information about how to obtain aids and equipment Fair Access to Care Services (FACS) - Click here for link to document. There is a National policy on eligibility criteria for Adult Social Care Services. There is a framework within which an assessment should be based, which should look at an individual's ability to remain independent in the long and short term if help was not provided. Factors that make up the framework are autonomy, physical and mental health and safety, the management of daily routines, home environment, and family and community life There are four bands of priority, Critical, substantial, moderate and low. ASCH are required to use these bands, but can set a line based on resources under which they do not have to provide services. Anyone below the eligibility line should be provided with information or advice or referred to another agency How to request an Assessment - If you wish to request an assessment you can do so via the Contact Centre Advisors (Social Services) who are on duty from 8.45am-5pm, Monday to Friday. They can be contacted by telephone on (01744) 456600, e-mail to contactcentre@sthelens.gov.uk or personal visit to the Contact Centre, Wesley house, Corporation Street, St. Helens WA10 1HF. The information they will require will be: Name, address and Tel. No. Marital status Who you live with Type of property, owned or rented GP and any hospital doctors currently providing treatment The type of care given and/or received What type of services you would like to access You can ring the Contact Centre or a Carer Support Worker will do this for you. We recommend that you ask the following questions when you telephone; Who are you speaking to How long before assessment carried out Which team is the referral being given to The name of the Care Manager After an assessment you should receive a Care plan, which you will sign once you are happy with the assessment. You can challenge any of the findings, and we will support you to do so. Will you have to pay for services after an assessment? Financial Assessment Leaflet Link Service Charges Leaflet Link -Payment for services which may be identified during an assessment will be decided by carrying out a separate financial assessment. If you do not wish to disclose financial information you will be asked to sign to confirm that you will pay the cost of services. The financial assessment will look at your assets and savings. The house you live in is not included in the assessment. If you have savings over £ 21,500 you will be required to pay the full cost for services. Services such as Meals on Wheels, Careline and Transport services to day centres have a flat rate charge and are paid by all who receive the service Direct Payments How a Direct Payment Request is processed Direct Payments - Frequently Asked Questions Direct Payments can be paid to people who have had Community Care Assessment and have been assessed as requiring personal and social care needs. Instead of Social Services putting in services, you are provided with money to buy support. This enables people to have more control and choice over the way their needs are met. People who take up Direct Payments can decide how, when and by whom their support will be provided. This might be by employing their own personal assistant, the Direct Payments team will provide advice and support to do this. Carers who do not live with their Cared For person can be paid for their care through Direct Payments. If you already have a Care Manager, speak to them about accessing Direct Payments. The Carer's Centre arrange information sessions where members of the Direct Payment team come into the Centre and provide information for Carers, contact Jan Braycotton on 01744 675619 to book a place. Emergency Duty Team - This service operates outside normal office hours (Mon-Fri 5pm to 9am, and all day Sat, Sun and Bank Hols) Contact them on 0845 050 0148. This will connect to operator who will pass details given to the Emergency Duty Social Worker, who will then telephone you to discuss the problems you face, and agree on a course of action Crisis Resolution Team - Provide out of hours service for Mental Health Service Users and Carers - 677153
Whilst every care is taken to ensure the accuracy of information provided to Carers, St.Helens Carers Centre do not undertake any liability for any error or omission. The products and services listed are not necessarily endorsed or recommended by St.Helens Carers Centre
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