www.wiltshire.gov.uk
Eligibility Criteria and Fair Access to Care
Fact Sheet No: FS2
Name of Service: Eligibility Criteria and Fair Access to Care
Abbreviation: FACS
Service Type: Information and Advice
Summary of Service
What do we mean by Eligibility Criteria?
Like other local authorities, Wiltshire County Council’s Department of Community Services receives more requests for help from the public to provide social care services than there is funding available.
Therefore, it has followed Department of Health guidelines called ‘Fair Access to Care’ which provides a framework to determine eligibility criteria and allow decisions to be made following an assessment of need that are fair and equitable. It does this by measuring the assessed care needs against set eligibility criteria.
This ensures that people in the greatest immediate or longer term need will get most help.
The decision about eligibility for services should not discriminate on the grounds of your age, gender, disability, sexual orientation, race or religion, or ethnic group.
Details of Service
What are our Eligibility Criteria?
Our Eligibility Criteria is divided into four bands which represent the seriousness of the risk to your independence:
- Critical
- Substantial
- Moderate
- Low
How do you assess who is eligible for a service/s?
At present, you are only eligible for community care services if your needs are assessed as critical or substantial, and where your safety and independence would be at risk without a commissioned service being delivered to meet your needs. You must meet at least one of the risks in either band below.
CRITICAL risk to independence
Harm or danger may occur in the next few days
- Life is and/or could be threatened.
- Major health problems have developed and/or are likely to develop.
- There is, or could be, an extensive loss of choice and control over vital aspects of the immediate environment.
- There is, or could be, an inability to carry out essential personal care, domestic, family or other daily routines.
- Vital social support systems and relationships are, or could be, at great risk.
- Individuals cannot undertake or will be unlikely to be able to undertake, vital family and social roles and responsibilities that are important to them and others.
- Critical risk to your carer’s ability to sustain any of the essential/critical aspects of their caring role.
SUBSTANTIAL risk to independence
Harm or danger may occur in the next three months
- There is, or could be, some substantial loss of choice and control over the immediate environment.
- Involvement in some substantial aspects of work, education or learning is, or could be, at risk of not being sustained, causing substantial risk to your independence.
- There is, or could be, an inability to carry out some personal care, domestic or other daily routines, causing substantial risk to your independence.
- Some substantial social support systems and relationships are, or could be, at risk.
- Individuals cannot undertake or will be unlikely to be able to undertake, some substantial family and social roles and responsibilities that are important to them and others.
- Substantial risk to your carer’s ability to sustain some key aspects of their caring role.
- Substantial health problems have developed or are likely to develop.
- Involvement I work, education or learning is, or could be, at great risk of not being sustained, causing a major loss of independence.
If your needs are assessed as moderate or low, you will normally not be eligible for a service.
MODERATE risk to independence
Harm or danger may occur in the next six months
- Several aspects of work, education or learning are, or could be, at risk of not being sustained, causing a degree of risk to your independence.
- There is, or could be, some inability to carry out several daily routines, causing a level of risk to your independence.
- Several social support systems and relationships are, or could be, at risk
- Individuals cannot undertake or will be unlikely to be able to undertake, several family and social roles and responsibilities, leading to a level or risk to your independence.
- Moderate risk to your carer’s ability to sustain some aspects of their caring role
LOW risk to independence
Harm or danger may occur over six months
- There is, or could be, some inability to carry out one or two personal care or daily routines.
- One or two social support systems and relationships are, or could e, at risk of not being sustained.
- Individuals cannot undertake or will be unlikely to be able to undertake, one or two family and social roles and responsibilities.
- Low risk to your carer’s ability to sustain some aspects of their caring role.
If you are not eligible for a service, you will be given information and advice about alternative services.
What happens when my needs have been assessed against Eligibility Criteria?
Once your assessed needs have been measured against our eligibility criteria, we have a duty to meet your needs as soon as is practicable.
We will draw up a care plan and you will be provided with a written record of this care plan.
For a personal explanation on Fair Access to Care (FACS), in other words our eligibility criteria, the guidelines we use to assess people’s needs, contact the Social Care Help Desk.
How and when can you contact us?
Please contact the Social Care Help Desk:
By Telephone:
01225 713001
By Fax:
01225 713355
By Email:
socialcarehelpdesk@wiltshire.gov.uk
Weekdays:
Monday – Thursday - 08:30 – 17:20
Friday - 08:30 – 16:20
If you need urgent help outside of these hours, you can call the Emergency Duty Service on 0845 60 70 888
For more information you can either:
- Contact the Social Care Help Desk 01225 713001 or
- Visit the Wiltshire County Council website www.wiltshire.gov.uk/factsheets
This Fact Sheet can be produced, on request, in other formats and languages. Please contact the Social Care Help Desk on 01225 713001.
