The assessment can also involve your GP, district nurse or other health professional if you wish. Adult Social Care will arrange for an interpreter if you do not speak English or if you use sign language. After the assessment, Adult Social Care uses eligibility criteria set by the Government to work out whether you qualify for support. If the assessment shows you have eligible care and support needs which significantly impact on your wellbeing, you will be offered support in finding ways to meet these needs. East Sussex Adult Social Care produces a factsheet ‘Who qualifies for our support?, which explains more about the national eligibility criteria for carers and adults with care and support needs. You can find this at eastsussex.gov.uk/factsheets or by contacting Health and Social Care Connect. See page 6 more information on leaflets and factsheets. Brighton & Hove City Council has produced a leaflet called ‘Are you entitled to Adult Social Care Services?’ You can find this leaflet by visiting brighton-hove.gov.uk/social-care
Having your say in your support If, following an assessment of your needs and finances, you qualify for support and financial help from Adult Social Care, you should have as much choice and control as possible over your support, within the limitations of the current financial climate. For example, you should have a say in what type of support you get, and who provides it. Adult Social Care will discuss with you: • the type of support you need and when you need it; • your own preferences; • any particular needs you have, such as cultural or religious needs; • how your support could be provided; and • when your needs will be reviewed. For information on paying for care and financial assessments see page 55.
Personal budgets Adult Social Care may provide you with a personal budget, which is the amount of money it would cost to pay for support that meets your assessed eligible needs. The amount of your personal budget is determined by your care and support needs, as identified by your needs assessment. Depending on your financial circumstances, it is likely you will contribute at least part of the cost of your support. However, you should have a financial assessment to see whether the Council will contribute to the costs, see page 55 for more information. You can choose how much control you want over your personal budget. If you are eligible, you can manage your budget and support plan and organise your care and support yourself using a direct payment, where any Council contribution is paid directly to you. Alternatively, you can ask Adult Social Care, or another person or organisation to support you to manage your direct payment.
This money must be used to meet your agreed care and support needs in a cost-effective way. You cannot use a personal budget to pay for permanent residential care. East Sussex East Sussex Adult Social Care publishes leaflets called ’A Guide to Adult Social Care’ and ‘What you will need to pay towards the cost of your care and support’, as well as factsheets on personal budgets and direct payments which provide more information. These are available from Health and Social Care Connect or at eastsussex.gov.uk/factsheets East Sussex County Council provides direct support for people with direct payments and has a contract with two organisations, PeoplePlus and Vibrance, to provide support to people using direct payments to employ personal assistants (PAs).
Visit carechoices.co.uk for further assistance with your search for care
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