The Single Assessment Process for Older People

Frequently Asked Questions

• What's it all about?
• Why do we need the Single Assessment Process?
• What does person centred care mean?
• Where are we up to in Tameside?
• Having your say - Who to contact

SAP Co-ordinator, Tameside and Glossop Primary Care Trust, Progress Way, Windmill Lane, Denton, M34 2GP
0161 304 5450 teresa.jankowska@nhs.net

What's it all about?

The Single Assessment process or SAP aims to provide person-centred care to service users and their carers. In other words: "To ensure that older people are treated as individuals and they receive appropriate and timely packages of care which meet their needs as individuals, regardless of health and social boundaries."

This is a national standard that is outlined in the National Service Framework for Older People . This standard applies to all social care and health services. Guidance has been given to all Health and Local Authorities on how to introduce the Single Assessment Process in their localities.

Why do we need the Single Assessment Process?

We know that when older people have health and social care needs, sometimes there can be difficulties when these agencies need to work together in responding to those needs. This can lead to people being assessed more often than is necessary and information getting 'lost'. People often complain that they are not kept informed about what is happening and that this can undermine a person's sense of confidence.

In a local survey, (Best Value Home Care Consultation, 1998), service users told us that they want:

• Health and social care agencies to work better together
• A simpler way of being assessed
• More choice during the assessment and care planning process
• Better information so that people can be more in control

What does person-centred care mean?

Person-centred care has key implications for older people:

• They are the most important participant. The assessment is about them and for them. Of all the 'experts', they are the best experts.
• They should expect respect and courtesy. The assessment of their needs should begin with their perspective and their views should be kept to the fore at all times.
• They should feel confident in taking the lead in their own assessment. If needed, individuals should be given preparation or assistance in taking a lead, for example, translation, advocacy or communication equipment and help with filling out forms, if that is what they want.
• They should be able to share information in private and in confidence. This includes being asked their permission to share information about them with other professionals.
• They should expect to be involved in all decisions. Notification of key decisions should be given in writing or other formats. They should have access to information that enables both informed decision-making and the understanding of key decisions.

For health and social care agencies, person-centred care means:

• Working in partnership and having a shared vision. Agencies have to agree to work together and have the desire to do so. They need to decide what the partnership looks like and agree on what needs to be done to achieve the vision.
• Taking ownership and learning to trust. All partners need to have a say and participate in action towards the vision. Agencies need to acknowledge their differences and begin to trust each other, through gaining greater understanding.
• Developing skills and recognising the need to learn from each other. In particular, agencies should take every opportunity to enhance their understanding of joint working.

Where are we up to in Tameside?

The eSAP IT System has been developed, piloted and evaluated, the outcome has been very positive. The eSAP System will allow agencies to collect and share information electronically. This will help to decrease duplication and unnecessary repetition for the service user and carer. From the success of the Pilot, the eSAP System is being rolled out throughout Health & Social Care in Tameside.

 Having your say - Who to contact

We are always looking for ways of involving service users and carers in the implementation of the single assessment process. We currently have an ongoing relationship with the Older Peoples' forum called The Really Important Questions (RIQ)

From time to time we undertake consultation surveys. We are currently interested in anyone who has contacted Adult Services and is now receiving a service. We would like to know how effective you found your Care Plan. We would appreciate it if you could answer our online questionnaire so that we can improve future services.

We are also seeking peoples' views on how to develop an integrated health and social care service for older people. "One of the greatest challenges to improving care for older people is making sure that the right number of staff with the right skills and experience are in place." (Audit Commission 'Integrated services for older people: building a whole system approach in England' 2002).

In Tameside and Glossop a commitment has been made to find a more effective way of health and social care professionals working together that ensures older people get the best possible support. We hope that an integrated health and social care service for older people would minimise duplication and listen to the needs of older people keeping them at the centre of all we do.

We would appreciate it if you could answer our questionnaire on how you would like integrated services to look so that we can improve future services.

In one survey, Tell Us About Your Assessment 229.3 KB we asked people about their experiences of being assessed. These were the main issues:

• Many people felt frustrated and disappointed about how their services were planned and provided.
• Although people were unanimous in their praise of their assessor, some felt that staff could have communicated with them in a more sensitive and appropriate manner.
• Many felt that their sensory impairment prevented them from taking a lead in their own assessment.
• People felt 'out of control' or less involved when they lacked the knowledge to help them understand how key decisions were made.

This is what has been done so far in response to these issues:

• A Joint Commissioning Team for Older Peoples Services has been established. Part of the team's role is to build on existing user links, e.g. RIQ, but also to develop others so that ongoing communication with users, carers and patients feeds into the work of the team.
• Adult Services now has a system in place that supports staff on a day-to-day basis, feeding back on both good and poor practice. Staff are being trained in assessment and listening skills, to promote a more person-centred way of working. Also there is ongoing training around good practice for information sharing and confidentiality.
• The sensory impairment teams are exploring the idea of a 'one stop shop' service, so that access to information and services is easier, especially for people who would normally not contact Social Care and Health.
• Information for the public on how Adult Services eligibility criteria works has been written. Also a leaflet called, 'Do you need help from Tameside Adult Services?' has been written and is now out in public circulation. For a copy, please contact the Public Information Team on 0161 370 1179 or email: Send a Message to Public Information Team or more information on how to contact Tameside Adult Services is available here.

Your views, comments and experiences matter and we are always interested in hearing from you. You can contact:

SAP Co-ordinator, Tameside and Glossop Primary Care Trust, Progress Way, Windmill Lane, Denton, M34 2GP
0161 304 5450 teresa.jankowska@nhs.net