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How Will I be Assessed
The Single Assessment Process
The Single Assessment Process (SAP) is a new way in which the needs of adults aged 18 and above are assessed. The idea of an assessment is to get a clear understanding of what you need and to look at what is the best way of helping you and / or your carer. Everyone’s needs are different, so the aim of the assessment is to find out what your needs are and agree which services will provide the support to help you live as independently as possible.
The four levels of assessment
Under the Single Assessment Process, there are four levels of assessments that can be used. Which of these are used in any particular case will depend on your needs at that particular time.
- Contact assessment
This refers to the first contact you may have with services when you will be asked for basic personal information, and about the problems you are having. At this point it could be decided whether to complete one of the other types of assessments, or only to give advice or information or to involve another person or organisation.
- Overview assessment
If it looks as if more information is needed a care manager/social worker will interview you to gather information about your health and social care needs. It helps give a more rounded picture and makes sure that your needs are not overlooked. It also shows whether a further more specialised assessment is needed.
- Specialist assessment
This allows a more in-depth assessment of a particular problem or an area of your life that has been highlighted in the overview or contact assessment.
- Comprehensive assessment
This is undertaken when you have a number of health and social care needs, which have been identified from a specialist assessment. In some cases, the need for a comprehensive assessment will be clear from a contact assessment. In others it will be a gradual move over a period of time into a comprehensive assessment.
Please note that specialist and comprehensive assessments will be completed by a variety of professionals. These include occupational therapists, speech and language therapists, nurses in the community and hospital, Social Workers, community psychiatric nurses and physiotherapists.
The information you provide is a private matter between you and the people directly involved in your care needs. No one else can be given that information without your permission.
In a community care assessment - remember!
- Your views are central in the assessment process.
- You will be able to say what you think and what you would like to happen.
- You can have a friend or relative with you if you wish.
What happens next?
The next stage is to discuss the details of the services you are going to receive including any charges. Once you have agreed this, the details of the services will be written down in a care plan.
This is a very important document as it sets out in the form of a weekly timetable
- Who will be providing the services, when the services are to be provided and what the service will help you do.
- It will also state who to contact out of office hours or in an emergency.
You will be asked to sign the care plan to show that you have agreed to these arrangements and then you will be given your own copy.
The care plan is usually reviewed once a year, to check the services are still the rights ones for you. This review may be done by a visitor, sometimes by letter or phone.
What if I am not happy with the assessment, or with the services offered?
You are entitled to complain if you are not satisfied with anything about the assessment and what you are charged for services.
The sheet on making a comment/ complaint in this information pack gives more information about complaints procedures.
How to apply for help
Contact the Neighbourhoods and Community Care Adult Access Team on (0114) 273 4908
(Monday-Friday 9am to 5pm)
Or alternatively, go in person to First Point, the Council’s one-stop-shop at Howden House, on Union Street (near the Peace Gardens) in the City Centre. It is open from 8:30am to 5:30pm Monday to Friday.
What is an assessment - what’s involved?
Before we can arrange Community Care services you will need to have an assessment. The idea of an assessment is to get a clear understanding of what you need and to look at what is the best way of helping you and / or your carer. Everyone’s needs are different, so the aim of the assessment is to find out what your needs are and agree which services will provide the support to help you live as independently as possible. An assessment involves you (the service user) and a trained member of staff. You may also want to involve someone who looks after you (your carer) or someone to speak for you. The assessment can also include other people, such as your GP.
In the assessment we will
- consider your views
- make sure that matters relating to race and religion are noted in your assessment
- Let you have a friend, relative or someone else to help you or speak for you
- Arrange for an interpreter if you do not speak English or use sign language
- Consider your carer’s views
- Make sure that the people involved in your assessment work together effectively and tell you how long each part of the process will take
- Give you information about the services available and any changes involved
When you are assessed for social services we will ask you:
- What is it you want to do?
- What stops you from doing the things you want to do?
- What help you have now
What happens next?
Whether you are eligible for a particular service will depend on your level of need. This will be explained to you, either by your Social Worker or the person who is responsible for managing your care. We will use the information you have given to us to decide which services to arrange for you. If your needs are straightforward, the assessment will be straightforward too. If your needs are more complicated, your assessment will be more detailed (please see the ‘Single Assessment Process’ sheet in this information file for more details). If necessary, we can arrange services to meet your needs while your assessment is completed.
We want to help as many people as possible, but we have to make sure that our services go to those that need them most. After the assessment is completed you will be given a copy of your Care Plan.
What is a Care Plan?
This is a very important document as it sets out
- Who will be providing the services, when the services are to be provided and what the service will help you do.
- It will also state who to contact out of office hours or in an emergency
You will be asked to sign the care plan to show that you have agreed to these arrangements and then you will be given your own copy.
The care plan is usually reviewed once a year, to check the services are still the rights ones for you. This review may be done by a visitor, sometimes by letter or phone.
We can carry out an assessment in your own home or if you are in hospital before you go home. If you are caring for someone you have the right to ask for your own assessment. The Carers and Disabled Children Act allows carers to have an assessment even if the person they are caring for does not want any involvement from Community Care services (please see the ‘Carers Assessment’ sheet in this information file for more details) If the person you care for hasn’t had an assessment, then their assessment is normally the first part of the process. However, in a crisis or emergency – where there is an immediate serious or dangerous situation, you can contact the Neighbourhoods and Community Care Adult Access Team (see below for contact details).
What if I am not happy with the assessment, or with the services offered?
You and the person who cares for you are entitled to complain if you are not satisfied with anything about the assessment and what you are charged for services. The sheet on ‘making a comment / complaint’ in this information pack gives more information about complaints procedures.
How to apply for help
Contact the Neighbourhoods and Community Care Adult Access Team on: Tel: 0114 273 4908(Monday to Friday 8:30am to 5:30pm)
If it is an emergency then you can contact the above number out of hours and at the weekends.
Or alternatively, go in person to First Point, the Council’s one-stop-shop at Howden House, on Union Street (near the Peace Gardens) in the City Centre. It is open from 8:30 am to 5:30pm Monday to Friday.
The Carers Assessment
How are my needs as a carer assessed?
When you ask for a community care assessment for the person you care for (the sheet ‘What is an assessment and what’s involved’ in this information pack gives more information about this), it is important that you ask for an assessment of your own needs as a carer – a Carers Assessment. You have a legal entitlement to a Carers Assessment if you provide regular and substantial care for a relative, friend or neighbour who is:
- Over 18 years old with a physical, learning or sensory disability
- Over 18 years old and has a physical illness
- Over 65 and has a mental illness
- Of any age with dementia.
However, if the person you care for is not eligible for a service from Social Services, then they will not be assessed and you, as a carer will not be offered a Carer’s Assessment. If the person you care for refuses an assessment and/ or services for themselves, you can still ask for a carer’s assessment for yourself.
Please note if you are looking after an adult with a mental illness who is under 65 years old, this information about Carers Assessment does not apply.
You can ask for an assessment if you are expecting to be giving care in the future – for example, if someone is being discharged from hospital, or is coming to live with you.
Is my carer’s assessment separate to the assessment of the person I care for?
During the assessment of the person you care for (normally an Overview Assessment- see the sheet on ‘What is an assessment – what’s involved’ in this information pack), Community Care will also look at who is helping them with their care needs. The Care Manager / Social Worker will record who does what and take this into account.
Your own needs and assessment as a carer can be discussed at the same time as the person you care for is being assessed. If you prefer, your assessment can be done separately and in private. Either way, your carer’s assessment will be recorded separately to the assessment of the person you care for.
What will be discussed at my carer’s assessment?
A carer’s assessment will usually look at what caring tasks you are doing, and what impact these are having on you. The length of the assessment will vary according to different caring situations. You and the assessor will decide how detailed you wish the assessment to be.
What if I am not happy with the assessment, or with the services offered?
You are entitled to complain if you are not satisfied with anything about the assessment. The sheet on ‘making a comment / complaint’ in this information pack gives more information about complaints procedures.
How to apply for help
Contact the Neighbourhoods and Community Care Adult Access Team on: 0114 273 4908
(Monday – Friday 8:30am to 5:30pm)
Or alternatively, go in person to First Pont, the Council’s one-stop-shop at Howden House, on Union Street 9near the peace Gardens) in the City Centre. It is open from 8:30am to 5:30pm Monday to Friday.
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