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Before we can arrange services for you, you need to have an assessment. An assessment involves you (the user) and a trained member of our staff. You may also want to involve someone who looks after you (your carer) or someone to speak for you. The assessment can also include other people, such as your GP.

In your assessment we will ask you:

• what do you think your needs are?
• what problems are you facing?
• what help do you have now?
• what help do you think you may need?

We will use this information to decide which services to arrange for you. If your needs are straightforward, the assessment will be straightforward too. If your needs are more complicated, your assessment will be more detailed. If necessary, we can arrange services to meet your need while your assessment is completed.

We want to help as many people as possible, but we have to work within a fixed budget each year and so must make sure that our services go to those who need them most. Whether you qualify for a particular service will depend on your level of need.

You do not have to pay for the assessment of your needs or for advice and information to help you. If we arrange services to meet your needs we look at your financial situation to work out whether you are able to pay our charges and, if so how much.

We aim to undertake an assessment within 48 hours of a referral.

Standards

During your assessment:

• we will consider your views and wishes
• you can have a friend, relative or someone else to help you or speak for you, if you want
• we will arrange for an interpreter if you do not speak English or if you use sign language
• we will consider your carer's view
• the people involved in your assessment will work together effectively
• we will give you information about the services that are available and any charges involved

After your assessment, we will tell you:

• which services you will get, who will provide them and where and when they will be provided
• the name of the person who is your social worker or is responsible for managing your care

If you would like to apply for an assessment, or to ask for an assessment on someone else's behalf, please click here to send us your details and we'll be in touch shortly.