The care needs assessment

The review will normally be conducted by either by a specially trained person or team from your local council, a hospital or your local Primary Care Trust. An assessment can also be carried out by a Care Adviser who, with the older person’s consent, will liaise with the social or health care professionals as necessary. Key to the assessment is the needs and desires of the person needing the care.

The long-term care needs criteria can vary slightly but will generally include:

• the current home situation - bungalow, sheltered housing, etc.
• the level and type of support which is currently available
• the ability of the person requesting care to carry out normal daily living activities such as eating, drinking, getting around, using the toilet, getting washed and so on
• relevant medical history and medication
• prognosis
• the potential for rehabilitation
• any need for registered nursing care
• funding issues

When the assessment has been carried out the local authority and the NHS have to decide whether or not to provide treatment and/or support. They both have to factor their own resources into the equation when setting the eligibility criteria.