Agency Services

There are a number of Agencies that will be involved in the development of a care plan for yourself, a relative or friend. Not all of the Agencies mentioned will necessarily be applicable to your requirements so select and click on the agencies that are applicable from the list below.
Benefits Agency | Health Board & NHS Trusts | Housing Department | Inspection & Registration Units | Local Health Council | Ombudsman | Social Work

Department of Social Security - Benefits Agency

They are a vital component in any care where financial support is being offered. They are the source of financial support and assessment of need with regard to:

Even in the case where the care is being self funded, there may be support in the form of non-means tested benefits.
Where financial support is provided by the Local Authority it will be assessed on the assumption that all benefits that are entitled are being claimed. The benefits will be considered as "Notional" income in the calculation of support entitlement. Failure to claim will result in increased hardship and the need for a third party to meet the deficit.

back to top of page

Social Work / Social Services Department

The Social Work department in each local authority is responsible for the assessment and support of care provision under the following legislation:-

Where an individual is seeking assistance either at home or in residential or nursing home, the Social Work agencies will require to do an assessment of need, and where funding support is to be given this will also entail a financial assessment.
The local office of the Social Work Department will be able to put you in contact with the correct member of staff. If you are in hospital receiving medical treatment but are likely to be discharged needing care support the Hospital Social Work personnel will be brought in by the medical professionals.
The Social Work Department are first required to assess your care needs. This may be for home support or residential accommodation. They might also indicate that no support is needed at this stage. Assuming that the assessment is accepted by you and your relatives and/or carers it is them an issue of determining the financial assistance if any that can be provided towards the care costs. This assessment, and in some care cases the identification of the service provider, rests with the Social Work Department.
At all stages of the process there is a right of appeal on the decisions made.
The Social Work Department also act as the registration and inspection authority for Residential Home in the Council's area. They have a responsiblity to provide details of all registered service providers in the area on request.

In some cases the Social Work Department is also the provider of care , through a variety of home services and residential home provision. With the latter, there is still the choice open to the client to receive funding support from the Social Work department without having to be placed in one of their residential homes.

back to top of page

Housing Department

The housing department of the Local Authority may have a function to play if you are in need of alterations and adaptations to your house to enable you to continue to live in your own home. This support may come in the form of grants, or it might be through the department directing you to home improvement agencies that specialise in the support of the elderly.
This approach may not apply in all local authority regions.

back to top of page

Health Board & NHS Trusts

The Health Board has a responsibility under the 1990 NHS & Community Care Act to provide continuing health care provision to those who are in need of "Consultant lead" nursing care requirements. This is generally provided within a NHS hospital, but the NHS may choose to provide the service through the use of a registered nursing home. In the case of Continuing Care Provision under the NHS the cost of the care is carried by the NHS, regardless of whether it is given in hospital of private nursing home.

The Health Board is also responsible for the ongoing delivery of services such as District Nursing, Chiropody, Physiotherapy and provision of certain nursing and daily living aids under the NHS, regardless of where the client is living.

The Health Board is also responsible for the Inspection and Registration of all nursing homes in the area covered by the Health Board. Do note however that the Local Health Board may not have identical boundaries to that of the Local Authority, however your Health Board boundaries can be easily determined by consulting your General Practitioner.

Local Health Council (LHC)

This is a local body that can provide you with information on the health provision and procedures in the Health Authority region. If there is ever any difficulty in determining the appropriate Trust or person to contact in the NHS then the LHC will be able to offer advice. They will also be able to assist in defining the Health Board's criteria for "Continuing Care".

back to top of page

Inspection & Registration Unit - Local Authority

Under the current legislation (Registered Homes Act 1984) nearly all residential homes with four or over client places are required to be registered with the Local Authority and inspected a minimum of twice per year. The exceptions are homes incorporated by Royal Charter and Local Authority owned homes which need not be registered but still fall under the inspection regime.
The public are entitled to ask and be shown the inspection reports.

Inspection & Registration Unit - Local Health Authority

This unit is similar to the above Local Authority unit except that it relates to the registration and inspection of nursing homes. This requirement comes under the Registered Establishments (Scotland) Act 1987.
The inspection reports are also required to be provided to the public on request.

back to top of page

Local Government Ombudsman

The Local Authority has extensive responsibility for the support of care in the community, from assessing need, assessing funding support and assisting in the identification and placing of individuals in homes. If the client is unhappy with the service given or the assessment results the first course of action is to register a complaint with the Local Authority. This procedure must be clear and available. Should the complaint procedure not result in a fair resolution in terms of the legislation, them the individual is able to take the issue for external review to the Ombudsman.
The Citizens Advice Bureau will be able to provide the contact details.

Health Service Ombudsman

As with the case above the Health Service Ombudsman is the person to resolve corcerns if the complaint cannot be satisfactorily resolved using the NHS Health Board or Trust complaints procedure. It would be perhaps best to first contact the Local Health Council or the Citizens Advice Bureau who will both be able to provide the contact details and provide useful support.

back to top of page

legislation | access to finance | useful addresses | selection procedure

©Copyright SCSupport