Getting social care support - Assessing your care needs
What is the assessment process?
The assessment will be done by a trained professional, such as a social worker or occupational therapist, who will consider a number of things, such as:
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Your needs and how they impact on your wellbeing - for instance, do you need help getting dressed or support to get to work
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The outcomes that matter to you - for example, whether you are lonely and want to make new friends
- Your individual circumstances - for example, whether you live alone or whether someone supports you
Following this, we will decide if any of the needs identified mean you are eligible for support. Some care needs are not met by public organisations (such as Bromley Council and the NHS), so we use the national eligibility criteria to determine which needs we can provide support for.
What are the requirements for assessment?
Bromley Council is required to carry out a needs assessment to decide whether you are eligible to receive care and support.
The assessment:
- Must be provided to anyone who appears to need care and support, regardless of your finances or whether the council thinks your needs will be eligible
- Must be of your needs and how they impact on your wellbeing, and the outcomes you want to achieve
- Must be carried out with your involvement as well as your carer, if you have one, or someone else that you nominate - this can include an independent advocate
As part of the assessment process we will explore all options available to support your eligible needs, and achieve your desired outcomes. These options may include;
- Reablement service to support you after being discharged from hospital
- Equipment to support you to be safe and independent around your home
- Assistive technology such as a falls alarm
- Local community groups to tackle social isolation
- A carer coming in to your home to support you with daily tasks
During the assessment, we will take a holistic, strengths-based approach to understand your situation and discuss your care needs, so we can understand things from your point of view and see if you are eligible for care.
Alternatively, you can also carry out a self-assessment online using the portal.
How do we determine who has eligible needs
Following your assessment, we will determine if you are eligible for care and support using the national minimum criteria for eligibility.
Read more about who is entitled to care and support.