Assessments should normally be face to face, not just by telephone or a questionnaire posted to you that you cannot discuss with the assessor. The Care Act guidance suggests that in very straightforward cases it may be reasonable to have an by telephone, however this is unlikely to be appropriate for ILF users. Although assessors need not be qualified social workers the statutory guidance emphasises that they must be and (para ‘appropriately trained’ 6.88) that if an does not have the knowledge of a particular ‘assessor condition or circumstance, they must consult someone who has relevant It is important therefore to raise any concerns about the lack of expertise’. expertise / ability of the assessor at an early stage if this appears to be the case. If there is a possibility that you have other types of needs in addition to social care, such as healthcare or housing then the assessor should recognise this and proactively make referrals and cooperate with other professionals and agencies, to make sure they carry out appropriate assessments promptly, and work jointly to plan and meet your needs. This is particularly relevant for ILF users many of whom may have complex health needs and may need an assessment of eligibility for fully NHS funded continuing healthcare, or for a combined package of health and social care jointly funded by the NHS and local authority. The assessment should also gather information from carers, family or others who can help give information about your needs (if you agree to this). You should also be given a chance to speak to the assessor separately from your carers or family if you want to, and the same for your carers if they want to, so they can discuss their own needs as a carer. If family members or others are providing care free of charge, then it is very important to document through the assessment process the extent to which the carer is willing and able to continue providing such voluntary care (if at all), and also whether the person being cared for wants to continue with that arrangement. Disabled adults should not be forced into accepting free care from family or others if they do not feel that it meets their needs so as to promote their well-being and independence. Nor should family members
Assessments should normally be face to face, not just by telephone or a questionnaire posted to you that you cannot discuss with the assessor. The Care Act guidance suggests that in very straightforward cases it may be reasonable to have an by telephone, however this is unlikely to be appropriate for ILF users. Although assessors need not be qualified social workers the statutory guidance emphasises that they must be ‘appropriately trained’ and (para 6.88) that if an ‘assessor does not have the knowledge of a particular condition or circumstance, they must consult someone who has relevant expertise’. It is important therefore to raise any concerns about the lack of expertise / ability of the assessor at an early stage if this appears to be the case. If there is a possibility that you have other types of needs in addition to social care, such as healthcare or housing then the assessor should recognise this and proactively make referrals and cooperate with other professionals and agencies, to make sure they carry out appropriate assessments promptly, and work jointly to plan and meet your needs. This is particularly relevant for ILF users many of whom may have complex health needs and may need an assessment of eligibility for fully NHS funded continuing healthcare, or for a combined package of health and social care jointly funded by the NHS and local authority. The assessment should also gather information from carers, family or others who can help give information about your needs (if you agree to this). You should also be given a chance to speak to the assessor separately from your carers or family if you want to, and the same for your carers if they want to, so they can discuss their own needs as a carer. If family members or others are providing care free of charge, then it is very important to document through the assessment process the extent to which the carer is willing and able to continue providing such voluntary care (if at all), and also whether the person being cared for wants to continue with that arrangement. Disabled adults should not be forced into accepting free care from family or others if they do not feel that it meets their needs so as to promote their well-being and independence. Nor should family members