Care Management Service

Created: 2/14/2022

Do you pay for your own care?  Are you an attorney or court appointed deputy responsible for managing someone else’s care or financial affairs?

If a person’s care arrangements (either in a care home or care in their own home) is arranged by a local authority, the local authority would usually complete an assessment of their care needs and review the care arrangements regularly.  This ensures that the right care is provided for the person.  However, when local authorities are not involved in arranging a person’s care (because the person pays for their own care, or their deputy does on their behalf), care is sometimes not reviewed or even assessed in the first instance.  This can be problematic because it should never be assumed that a care home is the best or only care arrangements available.

Why is the right care important?

First, care can be expensive!  Care home fees can often be in excess of £1500 per week, that is over £70000 every year.  If your, or the person whose finances you manage, care needs can be met in your own home, you may be able to pay significantly less for your care, and you can stay living in your own home.  However, there is perhaps a more significant reason, and this applies more to deputies who manage the finances of a person who lacks the mental capacity to make decisions in relation to where they live and the care they receive. It may breach a person’s human rights (Right to Liberty and Security) to provide care arrangements that are disproportionately restrictive or subject the person to unnecessary supervision.  Since a clarification in the law in 2014, most care home arrangements (such as locked doors, regular supervision, care, and medication arrangements) amount to a deprivation of people’s liberty if they lack the mental capacity to consent to them. Both Neil and Gary are qualified Best Interests Assessors and often encounter people whose human rights have potentially been breached in this way.  However, it is often too late and the option of returning home with the assistance of paid carers is missed because their home has already been sold by their deputy.  Leaving them with no other option than to stay living in a care home.

How can Simply Social Work help?

If you are unsure whether your, or a person whose financial matters you are responsible for, care needs require a care home, let us help.  We can assess people’s care needs and analyse whether they require a care home or care at home.  We can also find the right care and review the care arrangements as regularly as you would like. For those who pay for their own care, we can offer a one-off or regular care management service for a monthly fee.  We can liaise with your care provider to rectify any concerns you may have or liaise with new care providers if you are unhappy with your current provider.  We can attend care reviews to ensure that you are being provided with the best care without spending more money than you need to.  We can also explore whether your needs are primarily healthcare needs (rather than social care).  This is important because you may, in certain circumstances, be eligible for NHS funding for your health and social care needs. Please let us know, hello@simplysocialwork.co.uk, if you would like us to support you, or someone you assist, with care management or any other aspect of care and support.  We can:

Support for Local Authorities

Gary and Neil have both been employed by local authorities and know the pressures that managers face, particularly ensuring that assessments and reviews are completed in a timely fashion.  We can assist you by completing care needs assessments and reviews where a particular set of skills is requires or where resources do not allow assessments and reviews to be undertaken as often as is required.  If we can support you in this way, please do not hesitate to email neil@simplysocialwork.co.uk.