S154. Responding to Requests for Service

Policy Statement

This policy sets out how {{org_field_name}} responds to queries about and requests for services from different sources.

The service aims to respond to each query and referral in a highly responsive, person-centred, professional manner in line with its registration requirements.

Sources of Referrals

{{org_field_name}} is likely to receive queries and referrals for its services from:

a person seeking any one or a range of the services offered
another person acting informally on behalf of the person who will be receiving care, such as a spouse or other family member or friend, or sometimes a healthcare professional
a local authority adult services/health services care manager, social worker seeking to commission a service or range of services for someone who has been assessed as needing a care service and is eligible for local authority funding help; including urgent “step-up” or “step-down” requests and planned hospital discharges requiring intermediate care and/or reablement services
a “third party” who has been asked by a person or person’s family to secure appropriate services for a named person and who represents their interests (eg as an advocate or broker).

Responding to Queries and Requests for Information

All queries and requests for services are passed initially to a duty manager or named staff member for response. Requests for information will be responded to immediately with written information about the services sent to the enquirer as required. All information is produced in line with the current care regulations.

Responding to Requests for Service

Self-referrals and referrals from relatives or friends

People who make a request for a service and who intend paying for the service from their own sources (including from direct payments) might not have had a full needs assessment. In these cases, {{org_field_name}} first makes sure that the individual has all the relevant information about the available services and that the requests fall within {{org_field_name}}’s statement of purpose.

Where people might lack the mental capacity to make up their own minds about the need for a service, {{org_field_name}} will always establish that it will be in the person’s “best interests” to receive the service.

The service then proceeds to carry out a full needs and risk assessment before arriving at a mutually agreed contract.

(See also the policies on needs assessment, risk assessment and Preparing Contracts and Agreements and Termination of Service.)

Third-party referrals: care management

Where requests for service are made by care managers following their needs assessment or, for example, in relation to care needs following a period in hospital, the service will work in partnership with the person who needs their service, other family members and professionals involved to identify its specific contribution of the service’s staff to the individual’s plan of care. In most cases, the contract is formed with the commissioning authority, which will have already identified the needs to be met, the level of service required and how the service will be paid for.

Rapid response referrals (where applicable)

{{org_field_name}} has plans to respond to referrals for urgent responses. They include “step-up” referrals where a care package might need to be intensified in order to prevent hospitalisation or institutionalisation, or “step-down” from urgent hospital discharges. {{org_field_name}} has the capacity to mobilise its resources to respond to these different crisis situations by having teams on “stand-by”, which can be called on to meet any pressing need, or by having staff available to respond to immediate calls for service delivery.

For any request for urgent service {{org_field_name}} will follow these procedures.

The responsible manager will check, in order to make a decision to accept the referral:

if the service required falls within its registration status
that it has the resources to provide the service to the standards required (availability, staff qualifications and skills, etc)
that it can start and continue the service in the required timescales
if the arrangements it needs to make will meet the care requirements
how it will work with any other professionals and agencies involved, including who will be accountable and responsible for service delivery overall — increasingly important in relation to integrated care
how it will work with people receiving care and informal carers
whether its staff will require additional training and instruction
if there will be satisfactory terms and conditions and funding arrangements.

Once a decision has been made to accept the referral, the service will proceed to:

identify and contact the carers that it needs to provide the required service, and that they have the capacity to deliver it in line with requirements
decide who should lead and be responsible for the service delivery, and how it will be monitored
communicate and work with partner agencies and professionals on the implementation of the care plan
address the contractual issues involved in the service delivery, including the obtaining of consent, and the use and sharing of personal data
decide with partners on an early review date, which should be as close to the end of the agreed emergency period with all concerned, to assess any further needs
evaluate the service provided and provide any feedback to the service commissioners as required.

Third-party referrals: brokerage

{{org_field_name}} might also receive requests for service from people/agencies who have been commissioned by the person receiving care or their relatives to assess their needs and to arrange suitable service provision on their behalf. Such requests are usually made on behalf of people who are in receipt of some form of direct payments, which entitle and enable them to make their own care provision, sometimes as part of an agreed support plan.

The service recognises that some “brokerage” services might be provided by the local authority as an alternative or addition to the more traditional care management. In these cases, the service will establish that any potential contract (including charging arrangements) is always made with the individual concerned and not with the local authority as “brokers”. It will proceed to make sure that the requests for service are in line with the actual needs of the individual and its contribution to any agreed support plan is well defined.

The service proceeds similarly with any services negotiated by independent brokers been commissioned by the individual or their relatives to arrange services on their behalf and in line with their requirements. It will always check that what is being requested or negotiated is in line with the person’s actual requirements and needs and will where appropriate carry out its own needs assessments before agreeing a service contract.

{{org_field_name}} then recognises that in some cases the individual might continue to use the services of their “broker” to help review and modify their service provision. Where this occurs, the service will always make sure that the person is in full agreement with the current arrangements.

Safeguarding Issues

{{org_field_name}} recognises that it has a duty of care to report to the local safeguarding adults authority any suspected malpractice or abuse by any third parties when involved in arranging a vulnerable person’s care. It does this in line with its general safeguarding from abuse or harm policy.

Health and Safety and Infection Prevention and Control

The service will carry out all required health and safety infection prevention and management risk assessments to implement the appropriate controls to ensure that they can deliver a safe service during any outbreak of infectious illness.

Training

All staff involved in the handling of queries and requests for information and requests for service are appropriately trained in the relevant procedures.

Responsible Person: {{org_field_registered_manager_first_name}} {{org_field_registered_manager_last_name}}

Reviewed on: {{last_update_date}}

Next review date: this policy is reviewed annualy (every 12 months). When needed, this policy is also updated in response to changes in legislation, regulation, best practices, or organisational changes.