Social Care (Self-directed Support) (Scotland) Act 2013: statutory guidance

Statutory guidance on social care assessment and associated process covering adults, children, young carers and adult carers.


Section 12: Review

Introduction

12.1 A significant change to a supported person's needs or a request for a further assessment should prompt a review of the person's needs. In addition, the supported person and/or the authority can also request a review of the choice of options under the 2013 Act.

The general approach to reviews

Review of the person's needs

12.2 The authority should take steps to ensure that social care reviews are conducted on a reasonable basis in line with the supported person's needs. The approach taken at review should be similar to the approach taken at initial assessment. In other words, it should be conducted in line with the principles of collaboration, informed choice and involvement. The review should be conducted on the basis of personal outcomes with a view to meeting assessed needs. It should involve a period of reflection on whether the choices made and the support provided is helping to meet the outcomes and needs of the supported person. The review should also consider whether the needs and outcomes have changed in the intervening period. This may require some adjustments to be made to the support plan.

12.3 The authority should be prepared to respond to the likely demand for reviews. It should aim to conduct reviews within a maximum period of 12 months. It should consider the review as a means by which to prevent crisis or to respond and adapt to the supported person's life.

12.4. If the supported person requires additional support the local authority should ensure that the person is given the option of having support from an independent supporter or advocate. The authority may also wish to speak to family members and informal carers to satisfy itself that the person is not experiencing any difficulties with arrangements. Where an attorney, guardian or parent is in place the authority will also wish to discuss arrangements with them.

Review of the supported person's options under the 2013 Act

12.5 The 2013 Act imposes additional and distinct review duties in relation to the narrower question of how the supported person's support is arranged i.e. the choices available to the supported person under the 2013 Act. In practice the two types of review - a review of the person's 2013 Act options and a review of the person's wider needs and outcomes - will tend to go hand in hand. It is difficult to foresee a review of a supported person's needs failing to incorporate some consideration of the means by which they arrange their support. However, a review of a person's choice under the 2013 Act can take place without a detailed review of needs. The person may decide that they do not wish to continue with the option that they have chosen. Alternatively, the person may decide that arranged services are not working out the way that they had thought and would like to reconsider the other options. The authority should view this as part of the on-going nature of assessment, and it should support the relevant professionals to work with the supported person to consider what adjustments they would like to make.

12.6 The authority should ensure than an initial review date is set when the supported person and authority agree the assessment and support plan. The supported person should be made aware that they can request a review sooner if their circumstances change.

Monitoring and evaluation of the authority's provision of social care services

12.7 The authority should take steps to monitor and evaluate its success in delivering the full range of options as set out in the 2013 Act. This means that it should take steps to monitor and evaluate how its direct payment schemes, individual service fund schemes (or similar Option 2 arrangements) and arranged service provision arrangements are working. The authority's approach to its strategies, plans and processes should be guided by the general principles provided by Section 1 of the 2013 Act (involvement, informed choice and collaboration).

12.8 The authority should actively seek the comments and suggestions of supported people, carers and the wider population as part of the on-going review of processes, systems, guidance and procedures associated with Options 1, 2 and 3. It should seek to co-design all such arrangements with the full involvement of supported people and carers from the beginning and throughout. This should include the evaluation of their scheme arrangements.

Contact

Email: Heather Palmer

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