WCH23. Assessing Needs of People in Care Homes
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Assessing Needs of People in Care Homes (Wales) Policy
Aim of the Policy
This policy describes the methods for assessing the needs of prospective users of our services. The policy is in line with the requirements of the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014 and Regulation 14: Suitability of the Service, Regulation 15: Personal Plan and Regulation 18: Provider Assessment of the Regulated Services (Service Providers and Responsible Individuals) (Wales) Regulations 2017.
The regulations make clear that no one should move into a care home without having had his or her needs assessed and to be assured that these will be met.
Once the person has moved into {{org_field_name}} to comply with Regulation 18, the provider must carry out their own assessment in the first seven days with the full involvement of the person to develop their personal plan. The assessment will build on the current assessments and information about the person’s needs.
Assessments should always be carried out by suitably trained people, who have fully involved the person and their representatives in the process.
Where a person is being referred through local authority care arrangements, {{org_field_name}} should be provided with a summary of the needs assessment and a copy of the assessment that will already have been carried out by the local authority and/or health services.
The assessment should then form the basis of the person’s personal plan that will show how {{org_field_name}} is setting out to meet their assessed needs on a daily and longer-term basis.
Policy Statement
{{org_field_name}} provides services to people who are referred to it in different ways. Our approach to assessing their needs will, therefore, depend on the source of the referral.
Some people will already have had their needs assessed in their own homes or before being discharged from hospital, from which {{org_field_name}} will be asked to provide services based on these assessments.
On receipt of such an assessment and referral, the manager of {{org_field_name}} will always check the accuracy and validity of the assessment by discussing with the social worker or care manager who has made the assessment, other key professionals involved and, if necessary, directly with the prospective resident and their representatives. This makes sure that {{org_field_name}} can provide an effective service that achieves the outcomes for the individual person and has the necessary resources to do this.
Where {{org_field_name}} receives an enquiry or request for services from a prospective user of the service directly or from someone acting on their behalf, it will proceed by first checking with the applicant if they already have had their needs assessed by the local authority. This could have resulted, for example, in the request for services on a self-funding basis because the person is not eligible for local authority funding.
If the person has not already had their needs assessed, {{org_field_name}} will suggest to the person and representatives that they might like to consider having an assessment carried out as they could be entitled to local authority-funded care. {{org_field_name}} will provide the contact number and details of the local authority adult social services if the person wishes to proceed in this way.
However, {{org_field_name}} might also proceed to visit the person and to carry out its own assessment pending this process or if the person seeks to receive its services in any case. {{org_field_name}}’s own assessment will be thoroughly carried out in line with the regulations for carrying out a provider’s assessment as described in Regulation 18.
The process includes assessing any potential risks to the prospective user and to {{org_field_name}}’s employees regarding such matters as moving and lifting, health and safety, infection control, etc.
The results of the assessment will determine if {{org_field_name}} can offer the services required and in what form. If it proceeds, it will then draw up a contract with the person and set up a personal plan as it would if the person had been referred by the local authority. The plan will include any areas of risk that have to be considered.
Assessments of prospective self-funding residents’ needs are carried out by senior or specially employed staff who are qualified and competent to do so. The needs assessments are always person-centred and are made with reference to any specific ethnic, cultural or religious needs that must be observed in the provision of the service. They might also involve with the prospective applicant’s permission discussions with other agencies and professionals who contribute to the person’s current health and welfare.
Assessments are recorded on the documentation developed by {{org_field_name}} and the results are always made available to the prospective user as part of the following discussions about the best ways of meeting their needs.
This policy should then be read in association with the Admissions and Commencement of Service in Care Homes (Wales) Policy.
Training
All staff are introduced to the importance of effective assessments of needs and reviews in their induction and receive further training in line with their roles and responsibilities.
Staff carrying out assessments receive the appropriate training to ensure that they are competent in their assessor roles.
Responsible Person: {{org_field_registered_manager_first_name}} {{org_field_registered_manager_last_name}}
Reviewed on: {{last_update_date}}
Next Review Date: {{next_review_date}}
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