Transcript Information and advice slide pack
Information and advice
Care Act 2014
Outline of content
What the Act says: a duty on local authorities
What information and advice needs to be provided?
Who needs information and advice and when do they need it?
Proportionality and accessibility
How effective is information and advice?
A vital component
Information and advice is fundamental to enabling people to take control of, and make well-informed choices about, their care and support and how they fund it Not only does information and advice help to promote people’s wellbeing by increasing their ability to exercise choice and control, it is also a vital component of preventing or delaying people’s need for care and support It is an essential building block of the Care Act reforms 3
What is information and advice?
Self-help information Websites, leaflets, NHS Choices etc No interaction Assisted information Telephone helplines, directories, libraries, one stop shops, CAB, charities, information centres, GPs, frontline staff etc Limited to moderate interaction Advice Telephone lines, information centres, one stop shops, CAB, support groups, carers centres, CIL, social workers, GPs, outreach staff/workers etc Specialist advice and advocacy Independent financial advisers, legal help on complex matters in specific areas of law, independent advocates Moderate to high interaction High interaction 4
Major problems with information and advice
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The social care system is too complex and localised to comprehend Decisions are typically taken in a crisis There are problems with the quality and availability of information, advice and referral The availability and quality of council information services and assessments is patchy There is a lack of independent support for the assessment process There is a lack of joined-up advice covering care and housing/benefits options There is a lack of information about service availability and quality There is a lack of signposting to financial advice Advice and information needs in adult social care . Think Local, Act Personal 2013 5
A duty on local authorities
Section 4 of the Care Act places a duty on local authorities to ensure the availability of information and advice services for
all
people in its area, regardless of whether or not they have eligible care needs A
wide definition
including care and support related aspects of health, housing, benefits, and employment 6
Who provides information and advice?
Local authorities do not have to
provide
all elements of this service They are expected to: Understand, coordinate and make effective use of
all
the information and advice resources that are available Think about how they are reaching out and joining up with other providers of information and advice to ensure the coherence of the overall ‘offer’ Signpost or refer people to relevant
independent and impartial
sources of information and advice 7
What needs to be provided?
Information about how the local care and support How people can
access system works
care and support services What
types of care and support
are available, and the choice of providers Care and support related
financial information and advice
, including how to access independent financial advice How to
raise concerns
about the safety or wellbeing of someone who has care and support needs 8
Financial information and advice
The local authority
must
provide financial information and advice, including: understanding care charges ways to pay money management As well as identifying those
who may benefit
from independent financial advice or information and help them to
access
it Broader
awareness raising
about how care and support is funded 9
Who needs information and advice?
Wanting to plan for their future Who are family members or
carers
In prison Transitioning to adulthood Subject to safeguarding concerns Who contact the local authority People Who are assessed as being in need of care and support Who may develop care and support needs in the future 10
Self funders
Self funders often not well served for information and advice by many councils in the past: many do not seek help while those that do find little information was offered and that signposting to other sources of support was a negative experience The Barriers to Choice Review 11
When do they need it?
On contact with the care and support system Targeted at key ‘trigger points’ in people’s lives 12
Proportionality
Complexity of issues Volume of information Methodology and timing 13
Accessibility
Information and advice must be
open to everyone
who would benefit from it. They authority should ensure that: There are a range of delivery mechanisms that are accurate and up-to-date Staff are aware of accessibility issues and appropriately trained Websites meet accessibility standards Printed materials are clear and in plain English Materials are adapted as necessary e.g. easy read versions and translations Help from independent person is available to help people access information and advice 14
Supporting a person’s involvement
Might this person have difficulty in being involved?
Yes Can they be better supported to enable their involvement? [Reasonable adjustments under the Equality Act 2010] Yes Provide support and make adjustments Do they still have ‘substantial difficulty’ inbeing involved? Yes Is there an ‘appropriate individual’ – a carer, friend or relative – that can facilitate their involvement?
Yes No Agree ‘appropriate individual’ Duty to arrange for independent advocate 15
How effective is information and advice?
“Information and advice should only be judged as clear if it is understood and able to be acted upon by the individual receiving it.”
Local authorities will need to check that information and advice is understood and able to be acted upon: Check understanding Check impact
“I couldn’t find any information on local services. I just got gobbledegook from the phone .”
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A strategic approach to information and advice
Co production Impact Develop and implement a strategy/ plan Mapping Co ordination 17
Information and advice principles
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Involve people who use services and carers in determining what is needed and how it is provided Be available at the right time for people who need it, in a range of accessible formats and through a range of channels Meet the needs of everyone in the community served Be clear, comprehensive and impartial Be consistent, accurate and up-to-date Meet quality standards 7.
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Be based on a detailed analysis of the needs of the local population Be commissioned in tandem with other relevant support and advocacy services 9.
Avoid reinventing the wheel 10. Signpost people to sources of further information 11. Be used to inform future planning Principles for the provision of information and advice (TLAP 2013) 18
Summary
Information should be available to all, regardless of how their care is paid for Good quality, easily accessible information will help people to make good decisions about the care and support they need Local authorities have a key role in ensuring good quality advice is available locally and for sign posting people to independent advice Information and advice needs to be targeted at key ‘trigger’ points in people’s lives Information and advice should be accessible and proportionate 19