Complete a care needs assessment
What is a care needs assessment?
- If you’re struggling to cope and think you need help, the first step is to get a care needs assessment. The assessment reviews local services and community options to meet your needs. This includes home care packages or moving into a care home.
How you can complete a care needs assessment
A care needs assessment is free. You can get one no matter your income, savings, or needs. A friend or carer can ask for a care needs assessment on your behalf, with your permission.
If you lack the mental capacity to decide if you need one, someone can request it for you. They can do this if they believe it's in your best interests.
You can complete a care needs assessment online, or it can take place in your home. If you need support with decisions during the assessment, a friend, family member, or advocate can be there too. Find out more about advocates.
If you’re in hospital, we’ll chat with you before you are discharged. We’ll discuss any support you may need at home as you recover.
BetterCare Support
We partner with BetterCare Support to help you understand your care needs. The service helps to connect you to the right services and advice. It does this by personalising suggestions and resources based on your needs. BetterCare Support allows you to have:
- More control over your assessment.
- The ability to complete it any time, 24/7, at your own pace.
- The chance to involve family, friends, or carers in the process.
- Early access to the right support and services.
Through a series of step-by-step videos, you will get a picture of the level of care you need (if any). You will be able to refer yourself to our Adult Social Care team for a full assessment if needed. It can give you a clearer idea of your needs, but it doesn’t promise that you will get social care support.
Before starting your assessment think about who you want involved in your care. Let us know when we arrange to visit. Before a visit, let us know about any other people or animals who live with you in your property.
Start your care and support self-assessment
The care and support self-assessment will look at what kind of care and support you need. To complete an assessment you will need to:
- Register for a BetterCare Support account
Once signed in to your account, you can begin your assessment. You will be asked about your health, support needs, and your current situation.
Register to begin your self-assessment
If you want to refer someone for Adult social care on their behalf, you can request a care needs assessment.
What happens next?
After your care and support self-assessment is submitted, we will be in touch with you. We will tell you what support you can get and whether you need to pay for it. It is confidential and will only be shared with those involved in your care. This includes anyone with permission to deal with your affairs.
If you feel like you need to speak to someone urgently, contact our Adult social care team on 020 8901 2680 or at ahadults@harrow.gov.uk.
Next steps if you are eligible for care:
- If we are going to meet your needs, a care and support plan should be agreed upon and a copy given to you. This will outline your needs and how we will meet them. For example, it includes the care services we will provide for you.
- You will have a financial assessment. This will determine if you qualify for help with the cost of care services. It calculates how much you need to contribute towards the cost (if at all).
Next steps if you are not eligible for care:
If you are not eligible for care, we will:
- Provide guidance about other support services that can help you.
- Help to support you in completing a referral.
- Provide information about community groups and partners.
What care can be provided based on needs (short/long term)?
By agreeing on a support plan, we can explore ways to help you connect with the community. We’ll also support your independent living at home and assist with your daily care needs. This may include a short-term support package at home with carers visiting.
It could also connect you with local activities or explore changes in your accommodation. This is an option if staying at home isn't possible.