Doncaster Council

Introduction

Doncaster Council is responsible for arranging Community Care Services for people living in their own home or for those who require residential or nursing home care. Doncaster Council has a duty to assess people in need and from April 2003 this now focuses on how circumstances affect independence. Our aim is to help people live as independently as possible with as little intrusion into their lives as possible. 

Assessing the risk to your independence 

In order to obtain Community Care Services (including residential or nursing home care) a member of staff will discuss with you and anyone who cares for you what your circumstances are and complete an assessment of risk to your independence. This assessment follows several stages which are explained below. 

Contacting Us 

The process begins when the Adult Contact Team is contacted by: 

• You yourself
• A relative or friend who cares for you
• Your Doctor, Health Visitor or other professional concerned with your care. 
• Any other person on your behalf and with your consent.                  

The process is known as the Contact Assessment Process. The Adult Contact Team offer a service for adults, their carers or relatives and will provide information and access to Social Services. 

It is mainly a telephone service, but people can still see staff by appointment at offices in Mexborough, Bentley and Thorne. 

To see staff without an appointment visit the Council House in Doncaster between 9.30am and 4.00pm Monday to Friday.

Telephone: (01302) 737391- a courtesy phone is available at Thorne, Mexborough and Bentley Offices for those people who do not have a telephone.

Textphone: (01302) 737796

Fax: (01302) 736939

E-mail: adultcontactteam@doncaster.gov.uk

Write to: P.O Box 251, The Council House, College Road, Doncaster DN1 3DA. 

What will we need to know? 

You or the person who contacts us for you will be asked: 

• About your current circumstances 
• How urgent your situation is 
• Whether you are at risk in any way                  

It may be that we are able to deal with your problems there and then. If we cannot deal with your situation straight away we will pass the information onto the Team Manager responsible for the area where you live. 

The Team Manager will:

• Decide how urgent your Contact Assessment is depending on the information given 
• Place it in order of priority 
• Give the Contact Assessment to a member of their staff who will visit you to carry out a Detailed Assessment.                 

The information about you will be treated as confidential and only be used to assess your needs and provide care: if it is decided that this is needed. We will not share your information with anyone else without your permission unless you are at risk of harm or a crime has been committed. 

Detailed assessment 

How quickly will a Detailed Assessment happen?

This will depend on your individual circumstances. 

• For those people who have intensive personal, social and health care needs and are thought to be at immediate risk or whose situation is likely to deteriorate quickly then assessment will start between 1 and 7 days.
• In less urgent situations where people need help with some personal, social and health care needs and where services are needed to prevent the situation deteriorating then assessment will start within 28 days.
• In all other cases our aim is to start the detailed assessment process within 3 months                  

What will happen when I am visited about my Detailed Assessment? 

The person who visits you is known as your Key Worker. They will: 

• Discuss with you and your carer your current situation and problems 
• Find out how your circumstances affect your independence 
• Contact other people and organisations involved in your care, with your agreement for example your Doctor, Health Visitor or District Nurse.                 

What will the Key worker discuss with me during the Detailed Assessment? 

The Key Worker will look at how your circumstances effect your independence in the following areas: 

• Whether your health and safety is at risk. For example, you may have developed a serious health problem, or your home may be unsafe. 
• Being able to manage essential daily tasks. This would include things like being able to wash and dress yourself, getting something to eat, or getting in and out of bed. 
• Being able to decide how you want to live your life. This may be difficult for you if have a physical, emotional or mental health problem, or because there is a risk of abuse from someone else, or a risk that you may harm yourself.                  

Whether your circumstances and health limit your ability to play an active part in your family life, or keep up with your work, or education or with community activities.

Once your key worker has finished the Detailed Assessment and if you meet the eligibility criteria we will organise the appropriate help. 

What are the Eligibility Criteria?

The Eligibility Criteria set out the type of circumstances that would entitle people to help. These have been decided by the Government and are listed in guidance called Fair Access to Care. We have included this guidance below, but if you need an explanation of what they mean please don’t hesitate to ask your Key Worker. 

Some examples in the critical band 

Individuals will be at immediate or foreseeable critical risk. There will be intensive personal, social or healthcare needs. Independence will be at immediate risk and the situation is likely to deteriorate quickly.

Someone who: 

• Has an immediate threat to life 
• Has lost their sight suddenly after a brain haemorrhage 
• Has severe dementia 
• Is unable to carry out essential care tasks because of physical or mental health difficulties and these include washing, dressing, getting in and out of bed, and preparing food. This can be because of a physical, emotional or mental health problem. 
• Is being financially abused by a relative 
• Is at immediate risk of losing employment because of personal care needs 
• Has a carer who has been taken into hospital and the person being cared for is unable to carry out vital personal care tasks.                   

Some examples in the substantial band 

Individuals whose circumstances are not yet urgent but where help is needed to prevent significant deterioration. 

Someone who:

• Has been referred from the Hospital and has recently been registered blind 
• Has dementia which is not yet at critical level but affects the ability to carry out essential personal care tasks is breaking down 
• Is at risk of financial abuse 
• Is at risk of losing their job because of personal care needs but this is not yet critical 
• Has a carer who is due to go into hospital shortly                  

Some examples of the moderate band 

The person will have some care health problems or disabilities and the risk to independence is not serious at present but is likely to deteriorate if help is not provided. 

Someone who: 

• Has some difficulty with washing and dressing this has developed over the last few months and is getting worse 
• Attends a local college, has mobility difficulties that are becoming worse, the disabilities make it difficult to follow lessons, and this is affecting the ability to continue to attend 
• Has lived an isolated lifestyle. Self esteem, confidence and well being are affected, and there is evidence that is leading to a deterioration in overall well being.                  

Some examples in the low band 

The person will generally be able to manage, there will be no health and safety issues and independence is not at risk at present. 

Someone who: 

• Is unable to manage some housework tasks, gardening and home maintenance but can otherwise manage

• Is not aware of the welfare benefits they can claim 

• Has some difficulty with work because it takes a long time to get ready in the morning due to health or disability issues. 

If someone is not eligible for help because they don’t meet the eligibility rules they will be offered support in the form of information, advice and referral to another agency for example: 

• An agency that undertakes help with household tasks (e.g. Age Concern) 
• An agency that does small household repairs for vulnerable people (e.g. Doncaster Repair and Support Service) 
• Referring to Benefit Advice and Tribunal Unit for Welfare Benefit Advice 
• Referral to Social Care Support (Care in the Community) for information about social networks.                 

Eligibility Criteria Guidance 

The four criteria bands proposed by the Department Of Health are intended to describe the seriousness of the risks to independence or other consequences if needs are not met. 

What happens if I don’t meet the eligibility criteria?

Do not worry if you do not meet the eligibility criteria because we will still provide information and help to find other services. 

The Care Plan

When the detailed assessment is complete and if you meet the eligibility criteria the Key Worker will: 

• Discuss with you what help you need to keep you as independent as possible 
• Write down what has been agreed in a Care Plan                  

You will be given a copy of the Care Plan which will show you how and when you will receive the help identified in your Detailed Assessment 

Will my Care Plan change? 

We want your Care Plan to be agreed as soon as possible, extra help may be agreed and included later. Your Care Plan will be reviewed from time to time. How often this happens will depend on: 

• Your current circumstances 
• Any changes to your circumstances                  

The Team Manager will decide when and how often a review will take place. 

Arranging for help or services 

How will I receive help or services? 

The Council is responsible for arranging help or services for you if you meet the eligibility criteria and if you are not already receiving help. This will happen in a variety of ways: 

• We will buy a service from another organisation. For example if you have been assessed as needing to move into a care home and you choose a private home, we may pay for a place for you in that home. You may pay all or part of the costs depending on your financial situation. 
• We may provide the help or services ourselves if you have been assessed as needing:
• Residential Care 
• Day Care 
• Home Care Services 
• Laundry Service 
• Night Care Service 
• Respite Care 
• Social Work Services and many others                  

Other services may be provided by another organisation or person involved in your care e.g. Doctor, Health Visitor or Voluntary Organisation. 

Do I have to pay for help and Services? 

Some services may be provided free of charge, but you may have to pay for others. You may have to pay for Residential and Nursing Care, Home Care and Day Care according to your financial situation. 

Someone will help you to complete a financial assessment form and tell you how much you will have to pay. The exact amount you will have to pay will take some time to calculate, however you will be given a general idea of your contribution from the beginning. 

Changes to the Assessment from April 2004 

From April 2004 there will be a Single Assessment Process (SAP) for some older people. This means that rather than having to give the same information to several agencies you will only have to give the information once. More information will be made available in 2004. 

Comments and complaints 

What if I am not satisfied with the service? 

If you are unhappy with the assessment, service or any other aspect you should contact your Key Worker or Team Manager. We want to make sure that the services we arrange or provide for you are up to standard.

What if I am unhappy with the response from the Key Worker or Team Manager? 

Doncaster Council has a comments and complaints procedure in operation. If you wish to make a complaint you may write or telephone the Customer Relations Team, Council House, College Road, Doncaster DN1 3DA. Telephone: (01302) 737788 

Critical

• Life is or will be threatened 
• Significant health problems have developed or will develop 
• There is, or will be, little or no choice and control of vital aspects in the immediate environment 
• Serious abuse or neglect has occurred or will occur 
• There is or will be an inability to carry out vital personal care or domestic routines 
• Vital involvement in work education or learning cannot or will not be sustained 
• Vital social support systems and relationships cannot or will not be sustained 
• Vital Family and other social roles and responsibilities cannot or will not be undertaken                  

Substantial 

• There is or will be only partial choice and control over the immediate environment 
• Abuse or neglect has occurred or will occur 
• There is or will be an inability to carry out the majority of personal care or domestic routines 
• Involvement in many aspects of work, education or learning cannot or will not be sustained 
• The majority of social support systems and relationships cannot or will not be sustained 
• The majority of family and other social roles and responsibilities cannot or will not be undertaken                  

Moderate 

• There is or will be an inability to carry out several personal care or domestic routines 
• Involvement in several aspects of work education or learning cannot or will not be sustained 
• Several social support systems and relationships cannot or will not be sustained 
• Several family and other social roles and responsibilities cannot or will not be undertaken                  

Low 

• There is or will be an inability to carry out one or two personal care or domestic routines 
• Involvement in one or two aspects of work, education or learning cannot or will not be sustained 
• One or two social support systems and relationships cannot or will not be sustained 
• One or two family and other social roles and responsibilities cannot or will not be undertaken                  

This information is only for guidance and is not a full and authoritative statement of the Law or Doncaster Council Policy.