Council's care levels will increase in final months for carers involved

Legislation already required the council to provide carers with either an Adult Carer Support Plan or Young Carer Statement depending on their age and before they begin providing regular care.

However, a crucial series of revisions to the set-up now impose specific time-scales for these when the person being looked after is in their last six months of life.

The usual ways in which a carer is identified are that they inform local authorities themselves, the authority is notified by a health professional, or a referral is issued by the hospital discharging the person who will be cared for.

A report presented to the council’s adult health and social care committee on Tuesday, September 7 confirms that now an adult carer support plan or a young carer statement should be made within two days and a “substantive conversation” addressing outcomes and support needed by the carers must be held within five working days of the notification date or on a date requested by the carer.

In preparation for this change special measures have been put in place.

Social work staff have been offered additional training, a briefing paper has been distributed and an article has been published in the council’s quality assurance briefing.

A further and more detailed report on this implementation will be presented to the committee in the autumn.