Formal care and support conversation
Eligibility
We use the national eligibility rules set out within the Care Act 2014 to determine whether you qualify for support from the council.
A decision on your eligibility can only be made once we understand what are your needs. through a support needs assessment being completed.
To be eligible for social care support from us you must have needs caused by or related to a physical or mental illness or impairment, leaving you unable to:
- cook for and feed yourself
- keep yourself and your home clean
- use the toilet independently
- dress yourself
- be safe at home
- maintain healthy relationships
- access and engage in work, training, education or volunteering
- get out and about locally
- carry out a caring role for a child
I think I have care and support needs – how do I get in contact?
The Single Point of Access team is the first point of contact for an individual that requires information on support services available in Adult Social Care in Enfield.
Contact details for The Single Point of Access:
Tel: 020 8379 1001
Email: adultsocialcare@enfield.gov.uk
Opening hours: Mon to Friday 9am-5pm
We would speak to you about:
- Your health or the person that you care for in which we would look at your condition, frailty or disability and how this affects your daily life.
- We will also look at your strengths and support network in order that we can understand.
- What tasks that you can do for yourself and tasks that you cannot do for yourself and need support with.
- The support that that is currently available to you such as support from your, family, friends or neighbours and / or the voluntary / independent sector.
- The support that other professional support is involved in your care is providing such as support via the NHS or other public bodies.
From this we will work with you to help you to live as independently as possible and assist you to identify solutions so that you can be safely supported while helping you to retain as much of your independence and wellbeing.
If you have long term social care needs or more complex social care needs, we might have to carry out a more detailed assessment to identify how we are able to support you. We will look at your needs when you are at your best and in a familiar environment.
Based on our conversation with you, we will review your care and support need to decide if you qualify for support, against the national eligibility criteria and work out what we can do to support you.
Make an adult social care referral
Adult with care and support needs
To qualify for support, you must meet all three of the conditions below.
- Your needs must come from or be related to a physical, mental health, frailty, impairment or disability.
- You will have difficulty with or cannot do at least two of the everyday tasks or activities (also known as outcomes) because of your physical, mental health, frailty, impairment or disability
- There is, or there is likely to be, a significant impact on your wellbeing due to having difficulty or not being able to do at least two of these everyday tasks:
- personal dignity (including treating the individual with respect)
- physical and mental health, and emotional well-being
- protection from abuse and neglect
- control by the individual over day-to-day life
- participation in work, education, training or recreation
- social and economic wellbeing
- domestic, family and personal relationships
- suitability of living accommodation
- the individual's contribution to society
If you are not eligible for services, we will still help you with information, advice and guidance.
Will you have to pay?
Information and advice and assessments are free.
However, there may be a cost to any care and support services you receive from us.
If you qualify for support, we will ask you to complete a financial assessment to work out how much you will contribute towards the cost of your care.
You will have to pay the full cost of your care if you have savings of:
- £23,250 or above for residential services
- £23,250 or above for non-residential services
If you own a property, the value of your property will be taken into account.
Please note that Occupational Therapy equipment valued up to £1,000 is free to residents.
Carers with support needs
Are you looking after a relative or partner who needs your help because of illness, substance misuse or disability? If so, you’re a carer.
To be eligible for a Carers assessment, you must meet all three of the conditions below:
- Your needs must come from providing essential care for an adult or a child with significant care needs
- You are unable to achieve one or more of the everyday tasks or activities (also known as outcomes) due to your caring responsibilities, see below
- There is, or there is likely to be, a significant impact on your physical and/or mental wellbeing due to not being able to do one or more of the everyday tasks or activities.
Everyday tasks (outcomes) for carers
- Looking after a child
- Caring for other adults
- Maintaining your home and keeping it clean and fit to live in.
- Eating and drinking
- Maintaining, improving or building relationships personal relationships
- Managing and maintaining work or volunteering role or participating in training or education
- Getting out and about
- Engaging in a hobbies or activities that are important to you.
This can be carried out at the same time as the assessment of the person you care for or can be done separately and privately by an external organisation, for example Enfield Carers Centre?
During the assessment, you will have the opportunity to tell us about:
- Whether you are able or willing to carry on caring as a carer
- The impact of your caring role on your health and well being
- The things that you want to achieve in your day-to-day life
- Whether you work or want to work
- Whether you want to study
- Whether you want to do more socially.
What happens after the assessment?
Following your face-to-face meeting you will be sent a letter telling you of your eligibility decision with a copy of your assessment. This will include information about actions agreed with you to meet some, or all, of your needs.
If you do not have needs that are eligible we will give you information and advice about what care and support is available to help you. For example, this could be from local charities or voluntary organisations.
Home or domicilary care
Having a carer come to visit you in your home can make a huge difference to your life, especially if you have difficulty walking, getting around or general care needs. It can help you stay living independently in your own home.
This type of care is known as home care or domiciliary care or sometimes home help.
Types home care
Home care
A carer can visit you at home to help you with all kinds of things including:
- getting out of bed in the morning
- washing and dressing
- brushing your hair
- using the toilet
- preparing meals and drinks
- remembering to take your medicines
- doing your shopping
- collecting prescriptions or your pension
- getting out, for example to a lunch club
- getting settled in the evening and ready for bed
Home help
This is slightly different to homecare and means day-to-day domestic tasks that you may need a helping hand with such as:
- cleaning (including putting on clean bed sheets)
- doing the washing up
- doing the laundry
- gardening
You might want some home help instead of or as well as homecare.
Most councils don't provide home help. Contact a charity such as the Royal Voluntary Service, the British Red Cross or your local Age UK to see whether they can help (they may not be free).
Employing your own carer
Instead of using an agency, you can hire your own carer, sometimes called a private carer or personal assistant.
If you employ a carer, you have the legal responsibility of an employer. This includes arranging cover for their illness and holidays.
Will I have to pay?
There may be some cost for our services, but the amount will depend on what services you receive and whether you qualify for financial help. We will support you to do a financial assessment to work out how much you will need to contribute towards the cost.
You may wish to read our Paying for Home/ Domiciliary Care
Help choosing a home care provider
It's important to do some research to make sure it's the right place to meet your needs or needs of the person you are caring for.
Here are some websites which may give you more information on some things to consider when choosing a Home Care provider.
Additional information
Other links
Looking for a care home
Care home
There are many types of care homes in Enfield that provide for different needs. Some care homes offer short-term places, for people recovering from a hospital stay or to give someone a break (Respite) from their caring role.
The care homes are run by a variety of organisations, including private companies, voluntary organisations and Enfield Council. They are registered and regulated by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), who visits them and writes a report about the home on its website. You can search for care homes in Enfield using the Care Quality Commission care homes directory.
Types of care homes
The 2 main types of care homes are:
- Residential homes - these offer care and support for people who can no longer cope at home and need extra help, such as providing meals and personal care.
- Nursing homes - these normally offer the same care as residential homes but also have 24-hour medical care from a qualified nurse
Some care homes provide care both with and without nursing. These are known as 'dual-registered' homes. The advantage of these homes is that if your needs increase you can continue to receive the right level of care without having to move again.
Both main categories of care are divided by the CQC into the following:
- Old age (Over 65)- for people who have physical illnesses more common in old age
- Dementia (also known as EMI) - for people who have a dementia related illness
- Mental illness - for people who have a mental illness other than dementia
- Physical disability - for people who have a medical condition that affects them physically
You can search for care homes on the NHS services. This includes ratings and reviews to help you make your decisions.
Will I have to pay?
The costs of residential homes vary, often depending on the type of facilities provided and the amount and type of care you need.
The amount you must pay is determined through a financial assessment. If you are not eligible for financial support from Enfield council, you can approach most homes directly to organise your own care.
There are 2 types of NHS nursing care with different eligibility:
- NHS Continuing Healthcare - this is for people who have a primary health need
- NHS Funded Nursing Care (FNC) - is for people who require registered nursing care, and is an NHS contribution to the cost of your nursing care in the nursing home.
If you require nursing care, depending on eligibility, you may be eligible for NHS Continuing Healthcare payments that are paid directly to nursing homes towards your nursing costs.
If you are moving to a nursing home you may be entitled to NHS Funded Nursing Care (FNC).
If you intend moving into a nursing home (and may be entitled to NHS Funded Nursing Care) please discuss this with the NHS professional responsible for your discharge from hospital.
If you are not in hospital please discuss this with the NHS professional involved in your care. More information can be found on the NHS Enfield Clinical Commissioning Group about NHS Continuing Healthcare
Search our online directory of care and support for care homes near you, view their CQC rating, and access the inspection report.
If your needs are predominantly health care, you may be eligible for NHS Continuing Care, where the NHS will fund the full cost of your placement.
However, if you have nursing care needs and are not eligible for NHS Continuing Care, the NHS will still pay the nursing element of your fees directly to the home.
You will still have to pay a contribution to cover your accommodation. This will be decided through a financial assessment.
To find out more about Care Home charges please see our paying for Care Homes page.
Help choosing a care home
It's important to do some research to make sure it's the right place to meet your needs/needs of the person you are caring for.
Here are some websites which may give you more information on some things to consider when choosing a Care Home.
Additional information
Other links
Hospital attendance
You or your loved ones may need to attend the hospital sometime in their lives, these visits could be planned or unplanned.
Planned visits: such as part of ongoing treatment or operation.
Unplanned visits: accident, fall or becoming generally unwell.
Sometimes hospitals arrange transport to pick and drop off patients. They do not normally provide transport to take inpatients home once you are well enough to be discharged. However, elderly and vulnerable patients may be eligible for transport. This must be agreed by the medical team and booked before your discharge.
Transport will not normally be provided for anyone who lives within six miles of the hospital and who is under the age of 65, unless you meet the eligibility criteria. This also applies to follow up appointments. Please speak to the ward manager or clinic manager if you are unsure.
Patients can also arrange their own transport via links to (taxicard or dial a ride).
Most people who attend hospitals will come out independent without requiring any support. However, a few might require minimal support from families and some voluntary organisations who can provide required support for a short period and for a small fee. There are groups in the community offering things including social groups, stroke café, falls prevention, shopping services, domestic services.
Arranging care before you leave hospital
If you or someone you know, who is over 18 years goes into hospital, and would need sometime support when they get home, this help and support should be arranged before the person leaves to go home (discharged). This means:
- Any extra help is arranged, such as visits from district nurse or paid home help
- Any equipment e.g. commode
- Home adaptations are made, for example grab rails in the bathroom
What happens while you’re in hospital?
Hospital staff should contact Social Services to arrange a discharge assessment. This is so that they can find out what help you need when you go home.
It doesn’t matter if your hospital stay was planned or an emergency.
The assessment can happen in hospital, or they might visit your home on the day of discharge.
It helps to have a key safe at home, or to leave keys with family or friends. Speak to staff in charge of your discharge to make sure you have everything you need. This includes a date of discharge, care plan and equipment.
You’ll be involved in the assessment and agree a care plan together. This should include things like:
- Treatment and care when you get home i.e. District Nurse, GP visit, Physiotherapist, Occupational therapist, Carers
- What sort of care you will be getting e.g. Enablement, Long-term care, Respite, Residential or Nursing placement (If it is deemed that you are unable to return home)
- Who oversees your care and how to contact them?
- When and how often you need care
- Any cost implications
- Sign post to voluntary organisations for support
Preparing to leave hospital
Hospital staff should make sure that:
- You can get home
- You have your care plan and if going to a care home, your care home has a copy
- You have any medicine you need, and you know how to take them
- You can use new equipment, such as Zimmer frame
- Your GP knows you have been discharged
- You know how to get help from a district nurse if you need it or when to expect a visit
When you get home from hospital
Temporary care
If you have had a short illness or an operation, you might only need care for a short time to get back to normal. This is called Enablement care. The aim of this short time care is to help you:
- Look after yourself rather than having someone care for you
- Stay as independent as possible
- Avoid unnecessary hospital stays
Enablement care can be free for up to 6 weeks if you are likely to become independent after that period. Most people receive this care for around 1-2 weeks. However, when you are reviewed and deemed to need ongoing care, enablement care will cease, and you will be transferred for long term care.
Long-term care
Soon after you leave hospital social services will review your care plan to check if your care plan is right. If you are likely to need care for longer than 6 weeks, social services will work with you to put a care plan in place, this care is not free.
Care plans are reviewed once a year but if at any time you feel your care isn’t right contact social services and ask for a review.
Care Homes
There are extreme cases where following a hospital admission, you or your loved ones are unable to return home even with support in the community due to impaired cognition, high risk of falls or other health and physical complications, you will need to be discharged to a Registered Care Home for a short term.
This need will be identified during assessment before discharge. You, your families or anyone acting on your behalf will be involved in making this decision. Social Services will support you, your families and representative to identify homes available. In most cases, you may be financially assessed to contribute towards this service.
This placement will be reviewed, and you will be supported to return to your home. If this is no longer possible, the placement might become permanent.