Care Act 2014Provider engagement event

Miriam Maddison. Robin Stephenson & Bernard Allen

Cornwall Council

November 2014

Objectives

• Raise awareness of Care Act and its implications• To focus on elements of the Care Act that impact

most on providers and other stakeholders• For the Council to understand the potential impacts

on providers/stakeholders• To discuss best ways of communicating to people

who use our services and their carers

Background

• Covers many aspects of adult care• Significant implications for partner organisations• Brings together 13 pieces of legislation and 13

pieces of instruments• Most fundamental change to care and support in

60 years• Care Act is in two parts

Phase 1 & Phase 2

• Part 1 of the Act (April 2015):• Wellbeing and safeguarding• Eligibility• Carers’ rights to assessment• Prevention, advocacy, market shaping• Deferred payments• Partnership working

• Part 2 of the Act (April 2016):• Care Account• Care Cap• Increased funding thresholds

Definition of wellbeing

“Wellbeing” is a broad concept, and it is described as relating to the following areas in particular:• personal dignity (including treatment of the individual with respect);• physical and mental health and emotional wellbeing;• protection from abuse and neglect;• control by the individual over day-to-day life (including over care

and support provided and the way it is provided);• participation in work, education, training or recreation;• social and economic wellbeing;• domestic, family and personal;• suitability of living accommodation; and• the individual’s contribution to society.As per guidance pg. 7–8

Priorities for April 2015

• Revised eligibility criteria linking in to assessment and support plan process

• Carer’s assessment process and support plan• Improving information and advice to help people navigate

the system• Deferred payments• Communications to all stakeholders• Specific communications to the general public• Specific communications to people who fully fund their own

care

Other key areas for 2015/16

• Commissioning of prevention• Commissioning of independent advocacy• Commissioning of future accommodation for

people who require care• Partnership working• Further improving of information and advice

Deferred payments / financial assessments• The Act places a duty on authorities to offer deferred payments for

those needing permanent residential care and own their own home.• The council is able to apply an administration fee • The council is able to charge interest (up to a maximum specified by

government on a half-yearly basis)• Equity value is: valuation - 10% - £14,250• The council has to offer at least 70% of the equity value as a

deferred payment• There will be a charge against the property• The aim is that people would not need to sell their home in their

lifetime

• Ability to financially assess carers for their support

Information and advice

This is another key aspect of the Act, which again focusses on people’s wellbeing and maintaining their independence. It is essential to have a co-ordinated approach across directorates and partners.

Records will need to be maintained that show the information and advice that a person has received.

Independent advocacy and prevention

• The scope of independent advocacy has now increased to include people who have substantial difficulties in being fully involved in the care and support process and there is no appropriate individual available to support the individual’s wishes.

• Prevention is key to people’s wellbeing and reducing the demand on acute services. The guidance highlights the role that the wider community infrastructure and other council services have in providing a local approach to prevention.

Managing provider failure

• Local authorities must ensure that they have in place procedures for identifying potential failures and how to deal with these, as well as, dealing with actual failure. Local authorities need to ensure that there is continuity of care for all people in receipt of that service regardless of how their care is funded.

• This links in to market shaping which will help address potential service interruptions.

Market shaping

• This section emphasises that authorities need to understand the needs of the population, what services are already in place and shape the market in order to meet the demands of the population.

• This includes designing strategies, engaging with providers, users, carers, stakeholders, working with partners ensuring sustainability and choice.

Self-funders

• It is estimated that there are:• 1,500 people funding their own care in a residential

setting• 4,000 people funding their own care in the community

• Local authority is expected to take steps to identify those people who may be in need of care and support but have not contacted the local authority. This includes who fund their own care.

• This is specifically important in relation to part 2 of the Care Act where people will have care accounts and have a limit to the amount they pay.

Carers

• The Care Act places greater emphasis on providing assessment and support for carers

• There are 63,000 carers in Cornwall • 16,000 carers are providing more than 50 hours’ care per

week• 2,500 carers currently in receipt of support• It is estimated that 4,500 additional carers will require carer’s

assessment• It is estimated that 3,500 carers would require a personal

budget

Communications and engagement

• Influencing the way the Care Act is implemented and funded through the government consultation and key MPs.

• Preparing for the impact of the Care Act on the Council, providers, partners and other stakeholders.

• Supporting the implementation of the changes required locally.

• Promoting the information and advice requirements and arrangements for people to access information and advice.

Our objectives

• Inform people about the progress of the Care Act with communications, engagement and formal consultation.

• Ensure key stakeholders are aware of the impact of the Care Act on them.

• Make sure there are clear public and media messages in place people’s new rights and obligations.

• Support opportunities to raise issues with government as necessary.

Timeline

• Oct 2014: Final regulations and guidance published.

• Oct–Dec 2014: Focus on stakeholders and staff.

• Jan–March 2015: Public messages. Staff training.

• April 2015: Consultation on financial changes to take effect in April 2016.

Local Authority & Partner Support

• A toolkit of adaptable materials to enable local authorities and partners to effectively communicate with their local populations:

• Key messages (including website content)

• Case studies• Template letters• Leaflets and posters for

distribution in a wide variety of settings

• Briefing materials for local councillors and care-workers

• Frequently asked questions• Advertising templates

National Activity

• Nationally funded activity to support and supplement location activation:

• National and regional PR• National media partnerships• Radio advertising• Digital communications • Targeted direct mail (door drops)

Communications objectives for Phase 1 (April 2015) will be achieved through an agreed combination of locally-driven support and national funded activity:

Communications framework

Key Consumer Audiences

Carers

Users (Self-Funded

Residential)

Users (Self-Funded

Domiciliary)

Users (State-Funded

Residential)

Users (State-Funded

Domiciliary)

Users (approaching

point of need)

Local Authorities

Care Workers

Care Providers

Health Workers

Charities/ Voluntary

Sector

Other trusted partners

Key Stakeholder Groups (as channels) Primary Consumer Audience Segments

Key audiences

A wide range of trusted key partners who have an interest and/or key role to play in reaching the consumer targets will be engaged with relevant toolkit materials.

List is only an illustration of a small number of key stakeholders

Key partners and stakeholders

National activity delivered direct to end User and Carer audiences through paid for channels to primarily contact harder to reach audiences (such as carers), and create a positive backdrop upon which local authorities and partners can deliver locally.

Radio advertising

Door drops

PR & media partnerships

Digital communications

National roll-out

Information and advice

• Must take an active role in the provision of information and advice.

• More than just basic information about care and support e.g. finances, health, housing, employment, what to do in cases of abuse and neglect.

• Cover the needs of all its population, not just those who are in receipt of local authority funded care and support.

Information and advice

• Identify people who may benefit from financial information and advice, independent of the local authority.

• Provide independent advocacy to facilitate involvement in assessment, planning and review where people experience substantial difficulty in understanding, retaining or using information given or in communicating their views.

Navigating the system

Cornwall CouncilCounty HallTruro TR1 3AY

Tel: 0300 1234 100www.cornwall.gov.uk

Thank You