The Care Act 2014 Healthwatch & Disability Sheffield Information Event 30 September 2014

Aims for today Information sharing and signposting Focus on what the Care Act means for individuals 3 areas for conversation: –Information, advice and prevention –Funding reform and the cap on care costs –Eligibility, assessment & review Ask you for your views: –What do you think this means for you? –What do you think the challenges are going to be? Get your comments and questions

New government legislation that brings together over 60 years of different laws and regulations Puts personalisation into law – person-centred, independence, choice and control, self-directed support, personal budgets Local Authorities have to do what is in the Act – musts and shoulds Some of it is new in law, some of it is modernising and improving, some of it we do already Key principles: –Promoting wellbeing throughout the care and support system –Preventing, delaying or reducing someone’s need for care and support services –Information and advice being key to independence, choice and control –Promoting cooperation and integration of health and social care –Promoting diversity and quality of services What is the Care Act?

What will it mean for the people of Sheffield? It will be easier for you to find relevant, quality information and advice about care and support When talking to you about your care and support we will focus on your wellbeing and the outcomes you want to achieve We will help you maintain your independence You will be in control of how your care and support is provided We will make it easy for you to understand how we work, including how much it will cost you for your care and support There will be a diverse range of services to meet your needs There will be a stronger focus on support for carers Health, social care and other services will have to work better together to support you and your family Some people will spend less of their own money on their care and support

Key changes Safeguarding –Safeguarding Adults Board and partnership working Independent Advocacy –People with ‘substantial difficulty’ being involved in any stage of the care and support process, and who do not have someone who can act as their advocate, will be entitled to an Independent Advocate provided by the local authority Carers & young carers: assessment and support –On the same footing as people who need care and support, regardless of whether the person they care for is eligible for support or not –Right to ask for an assessment and, if eligible, a personal budget

Transition to adulthood –Adults & Children’s services need to work together better for those in transition Deferred Payments –A loan against the value of someone’s home to pay for residential care, to protect people from having to sell their house Market shaping: –Services that prevent or delay people needing formal support –Understand our current provider market, its strengths and areas for improvement –Increase the range of good quality services –Local authority responsibilities when a provider fails and making sure a person’s care is not disrupted –Outcomes-based services – services that are based on an agreed set of outcomes – focusing on prevention and independence –Focus on choice over the way a service is delivered Key areas

More information Care Act factsheets: factsheets factsheets Care Act guidance:

The Care Act aims to make sure everyone: Can get the information & advice they need to make good decisions about care and support Receives support and services that prevent their care needs from getting worse This means the local authority will have to think about: What exists in the community to help local people Working closely with partners, like health, housing etc Making sure information and advice is good quality, easily accessible, provided at the right times and we coordinate our offer with our partners and community organisations Identifying people & carers who might have needs not being met Information and Advice

What are the key musts for the local authority? A service for providing information and advice about care and support Making sure it is coherent, high quality, easy to find, and accessible to the whole population More than just the basics Identifying people who could benefits from financial advice and provide clear information on what, when, why and how people have to pay for their care Provide info on the care and support system in Sheffield, how to access it, the types of care and support available & how to raise concerns about the safety or wellbeing of an adult Using wider opportunities to provide info and advice, such as bereavement, hospital entry or discharge, retirement etc. Information, Advice and Prevention

The cap on care costs From April 2016, individuals over 65 will be responsible for their care costs up to £72,000 – based on an assessment by the local authority Once they reach the cap the local authority will have to pay any ongoing care costs People who have eligible needs but don’t receive support from the local authority and fund their own care (self funders) will have an independent personal budget, which will be what the local authority would pay for that person’s care and support – this is then tracked towards the cap in a Care Account Once the local authority is paying, people can chose to have more expensive care and pay the difference, and they will still be required to contribute towards their general living costs The cap will be lower for people of working age, and zero for people who have eligible needs when they turn 18 Funding reform and cap on care costs

Other changes: Self-funders with eligible needs can also ask the local authority to buy services on their behalf at the local authority’s rates The Care Act supports people with modest wealth Currently, only people with less than £23,250 in assets (e.g. property or savings) and low incomes get help with their residential care/care home costs This capital limit will increase to £118,000 Deferred Payment Agreements mean that people who own their own home and go into a care home can get the local authority to pay the costs and recover the money, plus interest, at a later date. Funding reform and cap on care costs

An assessment must: –Be provided to all people who appear to need care and support –Must be of the adult’s needs and outcomes – strong focus throughout the process –Must be carried out with involvement from the adult, and where appropriate their carer or nominated person, and an independent advocate in some cases –Must consider other things besides services that can contribute to desired outcomes, such as the person’s own assets, preventative & universal services, information and advice or other community resources –Consider the whole family Care Act regulations provide the eligibility criteria and sets it nationally – consistent across England Aim to make the system and local authority duties clearer for people and professionals Eligibility, Assessment & Review

Individual must be actively involved and influential in planning Personal budgets now a legal entitlement along with a right to a direct payment For ineligible needs – information, advice & prevention Legal responsibility to review the plan to make sure needs and outcomes are being met Act provides a right for people to request a review Eligibility, Assessment & Review

Talking to you We will be going to different groups and forums to talk about specific things, get your views and input into the solutions, including: –Assessment and support for carers –Information and Advice –Prevention –Self-funders: information products and customer access in relation to Care Account and the cap on care costs –Information products in relation to Deferred Payments Agreements –Communication around the changes –Transitions for young people from Children’s to Adults services

Interest in getting involved? If you have any other questions about the Care Act, you can or contact Healthwatch or Disability Sheffield