Care Needs assessment - no time limit

Wibbles

onebigvoice said:

Maybe you should explain that to the people that assess carers needs, and not the person they are caring for, as in this case.

No - you are confused

I simply asked for a care needs assessment ( I am the caree)

A carer is entitled to a carers assessment

They are 2 different things.

bg844

My council phoned me at 2 and have booked my home assessment for 2nd June, I feel quite lucky since I only referred myself on the 9th February as I explained on the first page. I will update with what happens.

onebigvoice

On this subject of Care needs assessment:
  Out of the blue I was rang by Cardiff City Council Housing Department yesterday, after asking again about my entitlements? 
  The person discussed a Housing application that has been on file for many many years, and noted in the claim for benefits that Medical issues had caused my Gas/Electric bills to go through the roof, he has said they are looking at giving me another property with a down stairs toilet/bathroom that I could use and fit if not already in the house offered a walk in shower and hand rails for the stairs?
  So now I have got another number that if I wish to talk about adaptions in the property I am in now would I be interested in seeing what is available.
  What a funny world we live in, where it seems that all the letters to get things done with no reply must be coming back to the top?   Let you know what comes from both when I here the next episode.
 Are we due any voting soon?

Wibbles

@Camellia I requested a care needs assessment - in August 2022 and, finally, 2 weeks ago - I had a home visit from a council social worker who asked me heaps of questions and wrote down reams of information.

I asked her for a report of her findings and, unbeivably was told that she didn't actually carry out a care needs assessment, On grounds that my wife carries out my full range of care needs and the council has no input into my well being and that OT were coming in a few days anyway ......CERTAINLY not a valid excuse !

I am clearly entitled to an assessment - since I am receiving enhanced PIP mobility and care - for an unprecidented 10 years.

Everyone is ENTITLED to a care needs assessment - it is mandatory on request - even if not entitled to any financial benefits (over £16k savings).

So why would the assessment not have been done - considering the number of emails that I have sent to the council - one would have assumed that a care needs assessment had/would have been done.

OT did call in briefly a week ago and offered me a profiling bed (delivered next week) and electric wheelchair (at some future time).

Because of the savings - I have to pay in full for home improvements, a downstairs toilet and kitchen extension (which I accept and am happy doing) 

I have asked "campaignrealcare" for advice *thanks Camellia for the link*

Camellia

I hope you find them helpful 

I have suggested before you find some care act advocacy as I think you need it especially now you have grounds for a complaint

I’d personally ask for a response in writing as to why they do not feel you are entitled to a formal needs assessment - you need to do everything in writing ideally with an advocacy service helping you. 

Wibbles

I am also, having problems with UROLOGY at my local hospital after having been misdiagnosed with Cerebral Palsy by the consultant - These things all tend to happen at the same time

I have asked PALs for help with this

Camellia

May I suggest Healthwatch as they have more legal teeth than PALS

Wibbles

The "personal budget" confuses me

carers personal budgets are apparently not means tested

But what about the personal budget of a person being cared for ?

Getting a Personal Budget

In order to get a Personal Budget, your council needs to work out your entitlement for public funded care and support – (Please refer to Factsheet F48 - assessment, eligibility and support planning).

If you appear to need care and support, regardless of your finances, your local authority (social worker or an appropriately trained assessor) will have a duty to carry out a needs assessment to get a full picture of your needs and outcomes in order to determine your eligibility against a national minimum threshold for eligibility. You may prefer to have a self-assessment if you wish to take the lead in identifying your needs and goals. Once it is decided that you have eligible needs, the council will then inform you about your personal budget as part of the process of your care and support plan that always involves you at the centre of decision-making.

This appears to be a reason why a care needs assessment was not carried out - a money saving solution ?

ie) No asssessment = no personal budget ?

Camellia

If it is determined that you have eligible needs there should be a fully costed care plan done in conjunction with a financial assessment to work out whether or not you should be contributing to your care. 

Wibbles

Camellia said:

If it is determined that you have eligible needs there should be a fully costed care plan done in conjunction with a financial assessment to work out whether or not you should be contributing to your care. 

But personal budgets are for far more than just care - it is supposed to be useable to pay for well being / training courses etc etc

Can you confirm that carers personal budgets are not means tested ?

Camellia

Sorry I can’t - you will need to speak to a disability law service / the organisation recommended by the real care tool kit people. I do not have experience with the carers side of things. 

Wibbles

Camellia said:

If it is determined that you have eligible needs there should be a fully costed care plan done in conjunction with a financial assessment to work out whether or not you should be contributing to your care. 

And let me guess 
This will require a Care needs assessment?
Does this depend on your individual needs or just resources? 

Wibbles

How do I carry out a self assessment of care needs? 

Camellia

Wibbles I should have put the word support not care.

The care plan (yes it should be called a support plan) should ideally include things you need to do to address some of your needs, things the council can help you with and support that can be provided by third sector organisations - it could even include something like a dog for your emotional wellbeing. The process should be about a lot more than just looking at whether or not you need care by which I mean a carer. 

For example with a third sector organisation I have had support in the past for an artist’s studio including set up, some consumables and some mentoring by an artist as part of my mental health needs support. It was run through a now no longer in existence organisation called artists in mind. 

Basically the assessment needs to be wholistic so that you are ok for all 9 areas of well being outlined under the care act. I sent you links to the real care tool kit in the past which explain this in a quite a lot of detail 

Camellia

With regards to your eligibility for a  needs assessment you are eligible for a needs assessment - as long as you can demonstrate you have some needs -your income / resources /support from your wife should not be a factor in determining if you should be eligible for a formal needs assessment - with a full written report. 

You can do some googling yourself and / or speak with a disability law service to double check this and get some advice as to your next steps. 

Camellia

Wibbles said:

How do I carry out a self assessment of care needs? 

The real care tool kit thing I sent you links to gives you step by step directions 

Wibbles

Camellia said:

Wibbles I should have put the word support not care.

The care plan (yes it should be called a support plan) should ideally include things you need to do to address some of your needs, things the council can help you with and support that can be provided by third sector organisations - it could even include something like a dog for your emotional wellbeing. The process should be about a lot more than just looking at whether or not you need care by which I mean a carer. 

For example with a third sector organisation I have had support in the past for an artist’s studio including set up, some consumables and some mentoring by an artist as part of my mental health needs support. It was run through a now no longer in existence organisation called artists in mind. 

Basically the assessment needs to be wholistic so that you are ok for all 9 areas of well being outlined under the care act. I sent you links to the real care tool kit in the past which explain this in a quite a lot of detail 

But yet again

I will need a care needs assessment?

poppy123456

Wibbles said:

Camellia said:

Wibbles I should have put the word support not care.

The care plan (yes it should be called a support plan) should ideally include things you need to do to address some of your needs, things the council can help you with and support that can be provided by third sector organisations - it could even include something like a dog for your emotional wellbeing. The process should be about a lot more than just looking at whether or not you need care by which I mean a carer. 

For example with a third sector organisation I have had support in the past for an artist’s studio including set up, some consumables and some mentoring by an artist as part of my mental health needs support. It was run through a now no longer in existence organisation called artists in mind. 

Basically the assessment needs to be wholistic so that you are ok for all 9 areas of well being outlined under the care act. I sent you links to the real care tool kit in the past which explain this in a quite a lot of detail 

But yet again

I will need a care needs assessment?

Yes you will. It's called a "needs assessment" not a care needs assessment.

Camellia

Wibbles said:

This appears to be a reason why a care needs assessment was not carried out - a money saving solution ?

ie) No asssessment = no personal budget ?

I hate to be cynical but I suspect so, also not wanting to go through the process. 

I suspect from their point of view they may think you are not financially eligible for any help and you get help from your wife and the OT is also involved - so therefore a time consuming needs assessment isn’t necessary. 

Wibbles

@Camellia

According to the CampaignRealCare.org

"Councils cannot charge carers for services to meet their needs and this usually includes respite care for the cared for person.  But any support given to the cared for person to support the carer by making the task of the carer more reasonable is liable to charges."

Which does imply that I need an assessment - otherwise how would respite care be set up if deemed necessary ?

I am going to email the woman who visited and ask her exactly "why an assessment was not carried out"

Here it is

"Could you please confirm the reason that a Care Act Assessment was not carried out on me – despite my repeatedly requesting one (since August 2022) ?

As you are aware – A Care Act Assessment is mandatory on request by a disabled individual – whether the individual is a millionaire or on the breadline – having over the threshold is no indication of need.

Some of the situations that I could potentially find myself in such as needing short term care in my own home to save me from having to go into hospital are FREE to anyone who meets the requirements of the CARE ACT !

I had assumed that a CARE ACT ASSESSMENT was what was being done – in that during the “assessment” – you took down many notes ?

Whilst at the moment, my wife does struggle to look after me, successfully – should anything happen that changes the situation – I would be in real trouble"