The NHS and Community Care Act

The NHS and Community Care Act 1990

- The NHS and Community Care Act reorganised local authority social service provision for adults

- Social Services are now required to act more as co-ordinators and purchasers of services rather than as service providers 

- This means that social workers assess clients, draw up care plans, contact service providers and then inspect, monitor and evaluate the services provided

- Service providers such as residential homes and domiciliary care workers are no longer under the direct control of the local authority

- The Act has had a significant effect on the increase of community care

- The Act intends to reduce the number of individuals in residential homes and long-stay hopsital units

- Budgets are allocated to local authorities to purchase the care services required

The Care Management System

- The Act introduced the Care Management System

- The system requires a care manager to be appointed for each client and for a specified sequence of care planning to be followed

- The Care Planning Cycle has the following stages: Assessment, Care Planning, Implementation, Minotoring, Reviewing

Assessment

- A person who has been referred to social services is visited at home by a social worker, social work assistant or occupational therapist who assesses the person's level of needs

- The practitioner considers a number of factors or criteria that will influence what sort of care will be provided

- These criteria include: The persons independent living skills, the physical safety of the person and others living with them, opportunities for social interaction, the availability of care from informal carers, the menal health and the person and the others living…