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Community care

Assessment and support planning

What you can expect

• A fair assessment of needs

  We will carry out an assessment of your needs in a professional and sensitive manner. This assessment is called a personal budget and a record of the care you receive is called a support plan.

• Your personal budget

  If you are eligible for a personal budget, a support plan will be completed which will explain the care you will receive. This can be provided in different ways.  You can choose to take a cash payment (called a direct payment) where you can arrange your own support, or you can ask the council to arrange your support, or you can have a combination of the two.

• The needs of carers

  Support for carers is given a high priority. We greatly value the work done by carers, but will not take it for granted when carrying out assessments.

  The needs of carers will always be taken into account in the assessment of the person they provide care for. By 'carer' we mean someone (a relative or friend) who is providing unpaid support to help meet a person's care needs.

  Carers providing or expecting to provide 'significant and regular' support can now have a separate 'carer's assessment' . This right is underwritten by the 1995 Carers Act. Where a carer's assessment identifies significant pressures on a carer, it may lead to an increase in the services we can arrange, and so relieve the carer.

• Re-assessment and review

  If you feel at any stage that your needs (or those of a person you are providing care for) have changed, you can request a re-assessment or review by contacting Gateway to Care - 0845 111 1103.

• Choice

  If you are considering moving into a residential home , our staff will always ensure that you have access to all the information you need to make the right decision for you. You can view all the options available in Calderdale by using the Social care and wellbeing hub. You can also use the Hub to find homes suited to your specific needs, close to family and friends, and within your budget.

• Concerns

  If you are unhappy after discussion with the Care Assessor about the outcome or content of the assessment, then contact the Team Manager who will discuss this with you and could arrange for a re-assessment to be carried out by another person or team.

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