Care - at home
The 'Fair Access to Care Services' guidelines are the
procedures Adult Care Service work to when they assess
people's needs and decide who they can and cannot provide or
arrange services for. The guidelines have been given to us by the
Government.
Adult Care Services includes services provided for older people,
adults with a physical disability or sensory impairment, adults
suffering mental ill health and adults with a learning disability.
It does not cover services, like Blue Badges, where there are
already very clear rules to say who gets them.
What will happen to me?
When we carry out an assessment of your care needs we will also
assess any potential risk to your independence and well-being.
There are four levels of risk:
- Critical
- Substantial
- Moderate
- Low
What does risk mean?
The Government has said what it means when the seriousness of
the risk to independence and well-being is critical, substantial,
moderate and low.
The risk is critical - when
- Life is, or will be, threatened; and/or
- Significant health problems have developed or will develop;
and/or
- There is, or will be, little or no choice and control over
vital aspects of the immediate environment; and/or
- Serious abuse or neglect has occurred or will occur;
and/or
- There is, or will be, an inability to carry out vital personal
care or domestic routines; and/or
- Vital involvement in work, education or learning cannot or will
not be sustained; and/or
- Vital social support systems and relationships cannot or will
not be sustained; and/or
- Vital family and other social roles and responsibilities cannot
or will not be undertaken.
The risk is substantial - when
- There is, or will be, only partial choice and control over the
immediate environment; and/or
- Abuse or neglect has occurred or will occur; and/or
- There is, or will be, an inability to carry out the majority of
personal care or domestic routines; and/or
- Involvement in many aspects of work, education or learning
cannot or will not be sustained; and/or
- The majority of social support systems and relationships cannot
or will not be sustained; and/or
- The majority of family and other social roles and
responsibilities cannot or will not be undertaken.
The risk is moderate - when
- There is, or will be, an inability to carry out several
personal care or domestic routines; and/or
- Involvement in several aspects of work, education or learning
cannot or will not be sustained; and/or
- Several social support systems and relationships cannot or will
not be sustained; and/or
- Several family and other social roles and responsibilities
cannot or will not be undertaken.
The risk is low - when
- There is, or will be, an inability to carry out one or two
personal care or domestic routines; and/or
- Involvement in one or two aspects of work, education or
learning cannot or will not be sustained; and/or
- One or two social support systems and relationships cannot or
will not be sustained; and/or
- One or two family and other social roles and responsibilities
cannot or will not be undertaken.
What are the benefits for me?
The reasons why you do or do not get direct help from the Adult
Care Service should be clearer. After we talk to you about your
needs and the risks you face we will write to confirm your level of
risk.
- If your level of risk is moderate, substantial of critical we
will also tell you what services we will provide or arrange.
- If your level of risk is low, we will be unable to provide or
arrange services for you but we will tell you about any
alternatives we know of.
When we look at the risks you face, we will not just be looking
at needs that are immediate and obvious. We will also be looking at
needs that could be prevented in the future if prompt action is
taken now.
Will the guidelines make it easier or harder to get
services?
Every year, the guidelines can be reviewed in the light of the
resources available. For example, if there are more resources it
could mean people who are low risk can be helped directly. However,
if there are less resources, it might mean people who have a
moderate risk cannot be helped.
If these sort of changes are possible, there will be
consultation with the groups of people affected first.