Feedback from carers and social care users on the draft eligibility criteria of Care Bill

Posted by Shelley Brooks on March 28, 2014 in Active & Supportive Communities, Home Page, Information & Advice, My Support My Money, Workforce | 0 comments

The Care and Support Alliance has recently published a report:

Facilitating the voice of disabled people and carers in the design of new eligibility systems proposed under the Care Bill: Feedback from carers and social care users on the draft eligibility criteria

Author: Richard Brady January

This report outlines the prominent themes and key findings from the research.

Key Findings

• High quality social care is vital for the well-being of disabled adults of all ages with care needs. Explicit references to well-being in the regulations are essential in reflecting the importance of well-being in the Care Bill.
• More clarity is needed on what is meant by ‘significant risk’, such as through illustrative examples in statutory guidance and training materials for assessors. Lack of additional clarity regarding the meaning of significant risk is highly likely to result in different interpretations being used across the country, increasing the disparity of provision.
• Definitions of personal care and household activities are broadly accurate, however key activities which impact on an adult’s mental well-being, such as communication and social interaction, are missing.
• Mobility around the home is not accurately reflected in the regulations and should be made clearer.
• Regulations should make reference to completing a task reliably, safely and consistently. This should also be taken into account in assessments.
• Explicit reference to fluctuating needs in the regulations is positive. However, the language used is too vague – clear guidance for assessors is required.
• The eligibility criteria need to consider how they can support the policy intention to intervene earlier, in order to prevent, reduce or delay needs from developing.
• Social care user feedback on their experience of the assessment process is generally good. However local authorities need to provide better information about sources of alternative support when a person’s needs are deemed ineligible.
• There is widespread concern about how the regulations will be interpreted, highlighting the need for clear guidance and training for assessors.
• The need for specialist training for assessors should be taken into consideration when assessments are to be conducted with people with complex conditions or requiring specialist support.
• Feedback on carers section is inconclusive – further research is required, including with child carers.

Read the report