Local Authorities are now being encouraged to provide individual budgets for people with care needs and for carers. This means that you should be offered choice in the way that services are provided, and may be able to use the funding to organise services yourself. Below are some examples of how this might work:
Direct Payments
In this case, the Local Authority works out what services they think you may need and then, instead of arranging the services directly, gives you (or the person you care for) the money to buy the service directly from an appropriate agency or person. You could then use the money to employ somebody directly yourself if you wish. See the Department of Health website for more details.
Re-enablement service
Provides a short-term service for up to a maximum of 6 residents who are eligible for social care under the terms of the Authority's Eligibility Criteria.
- It enables people to leave hospital appropriately, safely and efficiently.
- It encourages people who have lost their skills for daily living, to re-learn them (or to acquire new skills), to build up their confidence and to enable them to be as independent as possible within their own homes.
- The overall objectives are; to help people to remain living at home, to achieve maximum independence, to prevent hospital admissions (or re-admissions) and when appropriate, to reduce the level of care needed.
- Following the assessment of your needs we will agree on some goals for you to aim for. We will work with you to achieve these.
- Re-enablement Staff will work alongside you to help you complete the tasks set out in your Care Plan, wherever possible helping you to achieve tasks yourself rather than doing them for you.
Assessment of needs by the Local Authority
The first step is usually to approach the Local Authority to ask for an assessment for the person you care for – and for you as his/her carer. The Local Authority social worker doing the assessments will consider the needs of the person you care for, and your needs as their carer, and consider what services they may be able to provide (bearing in mind local priorities and availability of services).
They will also do a financial assessment under their Charging Policy which means that you (or – more usually – the person you care for) may be charged for the services according to means
Our Staff
All our home care workers are checked by the Criminal records office. They have all had some basic training but most have their NVQ level 2. Wherever possible you will have the same care workers but this can change due to the needs of the service. We will endeavour to give notice but this is not always possible.
Approved By
Care Quality Commission
