Buying care at home

How to report a cold caller

Very often work is unnecessary, of poor quality or excessively priced. The trader may harass, pressure or even try to scare you into having the work done.

If you have been affected in this way or are concerned about a doorstep caller, please call the Hampshire Trading Standards Doorstep Crime Section on 01962 833620*. Hampshire County Council residents can also request a free ‘No cold callers’ door sticker by calling this number.

Trained officers can provide help and advice on how to deal with such callers in the future and can attend the incident at short notice if the trader is:

• Still at your home or in the area.

• Due to return, perhaps to collect payment.

• Offering to take you to the bank to withdraw cash.

*Officers from the Doorstep Crime Section are available Monday to Friday between 9.00am and 5.00pm. If you have any concerns outside these times, please contact the Police on their non-urgent number 101 or dial 999 if you feel frightened, • You can reduce the amount of junk mail delivered to you by visiting the Mailing Preference Service website (www.mpsonline.org.uk ) or by calling 0207 291 3310.

• You can stop unaddressed leaflets being delivered by Royal Mail by sending your name and address details to Freepost ROYAL MAIL

CUSTOMER SERVICES or calling 0345 266 0858.

• You can stop unsolicited telephone calls by visiting the Telephone Preference Service website (www.tpsonline.org.uk ) or calling 0345 070 0707. It may take a while for calls to reduce. If you continue to have a problem, you can call OFCOM on 020 7981 3040.

Equipment

There is a lot of equipment which can help you to feel safe in your home, as well as when you are going out, including care technology such as pendant alarms, sensors and GPS trackers. See the ‘Equipment and adaptations’ section beginning on page 30.

If you are looking for support with domestic tasks, see the information on ‘House, garden and pet care’ beginning on page 41.

If you need more personal care to help you with everyday tasks (such as washing, dressing, preparing meals or going to the toilet), there are a lot of care providers and care services.

Probably the most important consideration is whether you want your care to be fully managed for you by someone else or whether you prefer to manage your own care.

Using a home care agency

Home care or ‘domiciliary care’ agencies can provide a ‘fully managed’ service. They directly employ, train and supervise the carers which they supply to you and take complete responsibility for the management of the care service. the Care Quality Commission (CQC) who inspect the services that are being offered and provide a quality rating. It is a good idea to read the latest inspection report for any agency you are considering using. Call 03000 616161 or visit www.cqc.org.uk

A list of all CQC registered home care agencies operating in Hampshire, Portsmouth and Southampton begins on page 51.

If you would like some help to find the right home care for you, you could use a free care brokerage organisation such as CHS Healthcare. Call 0800 008 7193 or visit

www.carehomeselection.co.uk/home-care

A useful checklist of questions to ask home care agencies has been included at the end of this section of the Guide, see page 49.

Employing or engaging a Personal Assistant

If you would like to manage your own care, you

• Directly employ your own PA.

You have full choice and control over who works for you. You will need to take on, and fully understand, the responsibilities of being an employer.

You can find detailed information about this on the Hampshire PA Finder website (www.hampshirepafinder.org.uk/employingapa ). • Engage the services of a self-employed PA.

If you want to have choice and control over your care and support, but don’t want to take on the responsibility of being an employer, you could engage or contract with a self-employed PA.

People acting as self-employed PAs are in business for themselves. They offer an agreed set of services in exchange for a fee. If you want to engage or contract with a self-employed PA, they should send you a quote for their services, send you an invoice to take payment, say when they want to work and should bring their own equipment. They’re also responsible for making their own tax and National Insurance contributions.

You can read further guidance from Skills for Care (www.skillsforcare.org.uk ). • Engage the services of a PA through, for example, an ‘introductory agency’ or matching service.

If you are finding it difficult to find a PA, you might choose to use an ‘introductory agency’ or online marketplace. Some home care agencies also offer an introductory service.

Introductory agencies usually specialise in ‘live-in carers’ but some also offer home care packages. The carers they introduce to you will usually work on a self-employed basis, will take care of all their own tax affairs and are free to be registered with several care agencies. You will pay an ‘introductory’ fee to the agency.

Most introductory agencies will carry out checks and ask for references for any Personal Assistants on their books, but you should always ask what their recruitment processes are and check their full terms and conditions. You can read further guidance from Skills for Care (www.skillsforcare.org.uk ).

Will my local authority provide care for me?

Your local authority can only provide care services if you meet certain eligibility criteria. You will then have a financial assessment and you may have to pay for any care you receive. To find out more, contact the adult social care department of the local authority where you live.

Some people with long-term, complex health needs qualify for free social care arranged and funded solely by the NHS. This is known as NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC). Before your local authority offers services, it will need to consider whether your primary need is health-related and whether you may be eligible for CHC. If you think you may be eligible, you can contact your local NHS Continuing Healthcare team. Visit

www.hantsiowhealthandcare.org.uk/your-health/ All-age-Continuing-Care

Paying for care is explained in greater detail later in this Guide – see the information beginning on page 108.

What if I need to complain or have concerns about a service?

See the information on ‘protecting adults at risk’ (page 117) if you have any safeguarding concerns.

If you are not happy with the service you are receiving from a home care agency, speak to the manager to try to resolve any problems or ask to see their complaints procedure.

The CQC also provides information on how to complain about a care service. Visit www.cqc.co.uk or call 03000 616161.

If you have employed or engaged a Personal Assistant, see information from Hampshire PA Finder on how to sort out problems. Visit

www.hampshirepafinder.org.uk/employerquicklinks

You could also contact the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) helpline for advice. Call 0300 123 1100 (Monday to Friday 8.00am to 6.00pm).