Social worker refusing urgent care assessment - can I do anything?

nightsong

My son's GP, his support worker and the lady from the advocacy service are all in agreement that my multi-disabled adult son is at risk and his situation is deteriorating by the day. They all consider that he needs help urgently and in order to access this from social services he needs an assessment (they do a FACE assessment apparently).

The duty social worker on the adult help desk, however, disagrees. Both the advocacy lady and I spoke to her and she refuses to make my son a priority case. I believe the waiting list for non-urgent assessments is about six months. Ringing the adult help desk appears to be the normal way of asking for this kind of thing which is why we both did this.

While I could rant for several paragraphs about the sadistic thick self-serving cow, I will restrict myself to asking - is there anything I can do about this situation, please?

:mad:

dazza-mac

I thought it was just me who was having problems with social services! I reccommend that they change there name. On second thoughts, all they have to do is use their initials.

I'm sorry I can't help, but I just wanted to say good luck. To anyone else out there - whilst I'm sure there are good social workers all I can say is that in my recent experience regarding my father who had his leg amputated, you should never assume that social services have your best interests at heart. they want you out the hospital/respite as quickly as possible with the minimum of fuss and the least expense - whether that is best for the patient or not.

pmlindyloo

Some useful reading here: http://www.ageuk.org.uk/Documents/EN-GB/Factsheets/FS41_LA_assessment_for_community_care_services_fcs.pdf?dtrk=true particularly about assessment and frontline staff being fully trained to be able to assess the urgency of cases.

As said in the article you can write formally to the local authority asking on what basis an urgent assessment has been denied.

As well as doing this I would personally be getting my local councillor/MP involved in your situation which will hopefully speed things up.

GwylimT

My grandma needed one a few years ago after a failed hip replacement which took away her remaining mobility, she wasn't listed as a priority case, as really she wasn't one, she had me to look after her. I'm not sure what her assessment was called, but they looked at the modifications she needed, how much outside care she needed and domestic help, such as cleaning or a meals on wheels service. They then organised for her adapted items to be delivered such as walking frames, they liaised with the council to fit a ramp and helped her find a care agency she liked for when I wasn't there, that took a while because she can be rather unpleasant when she wants to be!

outlooks

Its quite hard to meet the substantial and critical needs list, you have to be on deaths door basically.

shegar

Its called "customer first" but we nickname customer last , because thats exactly what it feels like to be with them, social services is a disgrace as far as we are concerned............:mad:

We are waiting for a urgent assessment too , but it dont sound as if it will happen this side of christmas , alot of it down to one department dont tell the other department what they are doing , and its never their fault.................:mad:

Our local county council as to make drastic public spending cuts , well I suggest they sack a few of those useless tools who answers their phones for them first..................Then sort out the other white collar workers who have a job title but dont do anything ............:mad: yea MAD too right I am.....

tumboodle

It must be an area thing!
Both my wife and I self referred and within 4 weeks we had a case manager appointed. Then just a few weeks later the Social Worker came out and went through everything with us both. She suggested that my wife be seen by their OT who came the following week. Aids and appliances as well as some building work was suggested. The aids were delivered the following week and the building work was completed within the month.
On top of that my wife was offered 6 weeks of free home care when she came out of hospital without having to have a means test. However when she did come out the 6 weeks free was reduced to 3 due to the cuts.
They keep in regular contact and have us down for a review on an annual basis.

Couldn't praise them enough and saved us a few bob in the meantime!

moremore

shegar wrote: »

Its called "customer first" but we nickname customer last , because thats exactly what it feels like to be with them, social services is a disgrace as far as we are concerned............:mad:

We are waiting for a urgent assessment too , but it dont sound as if it will happen this side of christmas , alot of it down to one department dont tell the other department what they are doing , and its never their fault.................:mad:

Our local county council as to make drastic public spending cuts , well I suggest they sack a few of those useless tools who answers their phones for them first..................Then sort out the other white collar workers who have a job title but dont do anything ............:mad: yea MAD too right I am.....

You hit the nail on the head, they do not care iota for the people that are paying their wages.

Most of the councilors are on twitter puffing each other up. Their OT dept is disgusting, they actually think they are paying out of their pockets for help they should be giving residents. If all of them were sacked no one would missed them as they have done nothing for the community.

Xhale_2

Hi Nightsong, is it possible your son may benefit from a continuing healthcare assessment? If you private message me the nature of the issues I maybe able to make some suggestions. Also there is an ombudsman you can write to. I don't know who the local authority is for you so some systems may differ.

mysterywoman10

tumboodle wrote: »

It must be an area thing!
Both my wife and I self referred and within 4 weeks we had a case manager appointed. Then just a few weeks later the Social Worker came out and went through everything with us both. She suggested that my wife be seen by their OT who came the following week. Aids and appliances as well as some building work was suggested. The aids were delivered the following week and the building work was completed within the month.
On top of that my wife was offered 6 weeks of free home care when she came out of hospital without having to have a means test. However when she did come out the 6 weeks free was reduced to 3 due to the cuts.
They keep in regular contact and have us down for a review on an annual basis.

Couldn't praise them enough and saved us a few bob in the meantime!

If they reduced the 6 weeks to 3 they were completely out of order regardless of cuts. The rules on discharge and the 6 weeks are clear.

To the OP have you made an official complaint to the LA? You would need to do this before going to the Ombudsman.

I have to be honest re CHC if you don't tick the boxes for Social Care I think that is highly unlikely because it is even harder to get and you really do have to be on death's door.

moremore

mysterywoman10 wrote: »

If they reduced the 6 weeks to 3 they were completely out of order regardless of cuts. The rules on discharge and the 6 weeks are clear.

To the OP have you made an official complaint to the LA? You would need to do this before going to the Ombudsman.

I have to be honest re CHC if you don't tick the boxes for Social Care I think that is highly unlikely because it is even harder to get and you really do have to be on death's door.

They are supposed to be sensible and keep people out of hospital as that cost a lot more, unless you are pensioners of course then they will put you on the LPW and that will be end of that little problem money will be saved as well. What is beneficial for the family is not important as long as money is saved and that's seems to be most important for the government. Disability and sick people are class as a burden nowadays on the state