Before looking at arranging help at home for the person you care for it is important to understand the type of care which may be needed to fulfil your cared for person’s needs, how they are going to get it and how this will be funded. This can be determined through assessments with your local authority responsible for social care services or NHS services responsible for community health and hospital care.
It may be that you or those close to you might notice changes in your ability to manage the day-to-day things you normally cope with easily, like preparing meals or looking after yourself. If this happens, contacting social care is a good first step towards finding the help you and the person you care for need.
It may be that the person you care for has been admitted to hospital and it is likely an introduction to or an increase in care will be needed following their return home. In this situation, either a ‘Care Needs Assessment’ or a ‘Continuing Healthcare Assessment’ will be offered prior to their discharge.
Any assessments needed prior to discharge will be discussed during the discharge planning process. Discussions around discharge may begin prior to the patient being ‘medically fit.’ This can sometimes cause worry for carers and family members, but it is important to know that 'medically fit' means that the condition of the patient has been sufficiently stabilized so that the patient may be safely transported home, or to another hospital, or setting, and the transfer of the patient constitutes an acceptable risk. Such a determination must be based upon the condition of the patient, the expected benefits, if any, to the patient resulting from the transfer and whether the risks to the patient’s health are outweighed by the expected benefits, and must be documented in the patient’s records before the transfer.
The person you care for will be expected to be fully involved in looking at what will suit them best and what can also support you as their carer. Carers and family members will also be encouraged to be involved to provide further insight into the cared for’s needs, any recorded living wills and any support already being provided.
There are several types of assessments to determine what care or support may be needed. Here are some types of care assessments that can be requested where there is a need for care and support.
Under the Care Act 2014, every local authority has legal obligations when providing adult social care. This means that anyone who has a need for care and support will be offered a care needs assessment, regardless of the ‘level’ of those needs or the person’s financial resources. The assessment is a chance to discuss the support you and the person you care for need with a trained professional. Even if you as the carer are providing all the care the person you care for needs, they are still entitled to an assessment. Your local authority has a legal duty to carry out an assessment once they become aware of the person’s needs. This means that anyone can request a needs assessment for another person. You can arrange an assessment by contacting the local council of the person you look after by phone, or online and asking for one.
A Care Needs Assessment is separate from a Carers Assessment. The assessment will look at current difficulties with managing personal care, the support your cared for person needs and how they might get it. The assessment could result in a new or increased care package to support the person you care for, to in turn support you as their carer.
You may think that the person you care for would benefit from adaptations being made to their home or having specialist equipment or aids. However, there are so many different options out there, it can be difficult to know where to start. What will be helpful for the person you care for will be completely unique to them and their own individual circumstances. And getting it wrong could lead to equipment and adaptations that are either not helpful or actually dangerous for them to use.
We therefore recommend that you arrange a home assessment by an occupational therapist, also known as an OT, before you make any decisions. An occupational therapist will be able to look at the space where your friend or relative lives, find out in depth about their condition and what support they might need, and recommend exactly the right equipment and aids that will be of most help. This can be offered or requested as part of a Care Needs Assessment.
Visit our page on Occupational Therapy Assesments for a full overview of what an occupational therapist assessment is and how to get one.
Anyone who has a primary health need because of an accident, injury, disability will be offered a ‘Continuing Healthcare Assessment’ to assess their eligibility for NHS continuing healthcare.
NHS continuing healthcare is a package of care that is arranged and funded solely by the NHS where the individual has been found to have a ‘primary health need’ as set out in the National Framework for NHS Continuing Healthcare and NHS-funded Nursing Care (updated 30 May 2022).
The assessment is completed by a health professional, usually a Clinical Nurse Specialist Assessor. In hospital the assessment is often completed under the ‘Discharge to Assess’ process where a checklist assessment is first completed prior to discharge, with a full in-depth assessment being completed at home or Nursing home setting by the Continuing Healthcare Team from your local Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) or Integrated Care Board (ICB). This is usually within 4 – 6 weeks to prevent pro-longed stays in hospital. This would need to be then sent to your local Integrated Care Board (ICB) or your local Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) depending on where you live.
Integrated care boards (ICBs) began replacing clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) in the NHS in England from 1 July 2022. You can find details on your local Integrated Care Board on the NHS website.
Such care is provided to an individual aged eighteen or over, to meet needs that have arisen as a result of disability, accident or illness. People who are eligible for NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC) do not pay anything towards the cost of their care.
NHS Continuing Healthcare can be provided at home or in a care home with nursing services. For more information on continuing care, visit our page on NHS Continuing Healthcare Assessments.
If you feel you or the person you care for may be eligible, please speak with the health or social care professionals involved in their care or contact your local Continuing Healthcare Team to request an assessment.
The NHS Continuing Healthcare Fast Track Assessment is for patients who have palliative care needs and who are at the end of life. The Fast track assessment is unlike the usual continuing healthcare assessment process as it can be provided without an assessment, and with confirmation of a prognosis, from an appropriate clinician such as a registered nurse or a registered medical practitioner; NHS Continuing Healthcare can usually be provided straight away.
If you would like to request an assessment you can ask an appropriate clinician to complete the Fast Track document for you. This would need to be then sent to your local Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) or Integrated Care Board (ICB) depending on where you live. Integrated care boards (ICBs) began replacing clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) in the NHS in England from 1 July 2022.
Thanks to the Care Act 2014, many carers in England are now legally entitled to receive support from their local authority. The Act makes clear that supporting carers is just as important as supporting the people they care for. It recognises that being a carer for someone can affect your own life too, including your physical and mental health, your relationships with others, your ability to work and how much leisure time you are able to have.
All carers now have the right to receive a free carer’s assessment to evaluate what their needs are. They also have the right for any ‘eligible needs’ that are identified during this assessment to be met by support provided by the local authority.
Online Help and Advice
Visit our online support section where we have provided advice and guidance on a range of relevant topics to help you in your caring role.