Why you may want an assessment
If you have care and support needs, you are entitled to a needs assessment.
Care and support is the term used to describe the help some adults need to live as well as possible with any illness or disability they may have.
It can include help with things like:
- getting out of bed
- washing
- dressing
- getting to work
- cooking meals
- eating
- seeing friends
- caring for families
- being part of the community
The assessment will see what care and support you may need. It will also look at how this will be provided and how it will be paid for.
Eligibility
We will decide whether you are eligible for support based on the eligibility criteria set out by the Department of Health.
This criteria includes the following:
- your needs must be a result of a physical or mental health condition
- because of these needs you cannot achieve 2 or more specified outcomes
- as a result of this, there is likely to be a significant impact on your wellbeing
The specified outcomes include:
- basic living skills, such as dressing
- making sure you are safe in your own home
- being able to use your local community, such as public transport
- being able carry out any caring responsibilities, such as for a child
How the assessment will work
The assessment will look at:
- how your needs impact on your wellbeing
- what you would like to achieve in your daily life
We will assess your care and support needs with you, and decide if they are at the level where you are eligible for support.
If you have eligible needs, we will discuss how you would like these met. This will be based on the information you gave us during your assessment. As far as possible we will agree your care and support plan with you.
Consent
If you decide to request a full assessment from us, a support coordinator will check whether you:
- understand why all this information about you is being discussed and recorded
- agree to this (give consent)
- agree for information about you to be shared with other people who may need to know in order to provide care and support to keep you independent and well
For more information, see the social care record guarantee.
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For people who are not able to understand and give consent, then the decision to go ahead will be made with people who know them, based on whether it is thought to be in the person's best interests.
Help with your assessment
The assessment is about you and we will make sure that you are able to be involved.
If you wish, your carer, a friend or family member can help and represent you.
If you don’t have a carer, family member or friend who you can ask, and you have difficulty doing the assessment yourself, we will find an independent advocate to help you.
Request an assessment
To request an assessment, contact adult social care by:
- our online portal
- email: adult.socialcare@bracknell-forest.gov.uk
- phone: 01344 351500
All new referrals are prioritised and responded to depending on the person's needs. If you are in crisis, a person is at risk, or you need a response outside normal working hours, contact us by phone.
If you are not eligible for support
If you're not eligible for support, we will give you information and advice to help you.
We might be able put you in touch with other organisations who can support your wellbeing and help you remain independent for longer. There could also be support within your local community. Services organised by local charities are one example.