Care Information Scotland
Your friendly pathway to care information and support in Scotland
Care Information Scotland Dear George, You recently contacted me through the CIS phone line, asking for more information in regards to your care situation. During our discussion, you mentioned it would be helpful if CIS sent you more information in regards to the support that might be available for you and your partner, Margaret. I am thus including here the following: 1.Information Requested
• • • •
Carers Assessment Procedure and Waiting Times Carers Allowance Application and Waiting Times Respite for carers Community Alarm
2. Action Steps Checklist
A checklists containing a chronological list of the key action steps you need to take in order to access the support you need. 3. Action Steps Notebook
A notebook to record your conversations with social care professionals and other important information that you want to make sure you can go back to, when needed. The notebook is structured under clear headlines which ensure you record all the necessary details of each action you take towards accessing support. This notebook will facilitate your journey of accessing support by recording all data, which will then be easily available to share with social care professionals and other people you get in contach with, in regards to your caring situation. 4. Our phone conversation
Please find enclosed a printed version of our phone conversation. This will give you a chance to go over all the details in your time. Feel free to contact us should you need further clarifications on our conversations. 5. CISA Availability
Please find attached a sheet of my availability for the next year. By calling at those times, we ensure you talk to someone who is familiat to your care situation and will be able to support you in a more efficient way. However, should you find yourself in an emergency, please call us at any time. Thank you very much for contacting CIS. I look forward to talking to you on the 11th of March at 2pm to ensure you have been given the support you needed. Do not hesitate to contact us, should you need to, before that date. Yours sincerely, Kay 08456 001 001 from 8am to 10pm
OUR PHONE CONVERSATION George
Hi, I am calling as I have a few concerns about care. I recently fell in the church hall and have been in hospital for two weeks. My wife has osteo-arthritis and suffers of recurrent chest infections. I would like to know whether we might be eligible for any kind of support.
Kay
Hi George, could I please ask a few more details about your wife’s condition and any financial benefits or allowances you are getting currently?
George
Of course. We’ve actually been doing pretty good until now, so we are not getting any financial support.
Kay
Sounds as if you fit the allowance criteria so you can fill in an application form. Before you do that you will need to apply for a Carers Asessment. I can provide you with all the document you ill need to fill in plus guidelines to filling your details in. I also think it might useful for you to read about Respite Care and Community Alarms so I will include that in your information pack. Would you prefer that to be e mailed to you or sent through post?
George
We prefer post, please. Thank you. How long will it take?
Kay
I can give you the number for the Disability and Carers Benefits phoneline. They will be able to let you know what the current waiting times are. The number is 0807 987 567.
George
Thanks very much for your help.
Kay
Is there anything else I could help you with today?
George
No, that will be everything. Thank you.
Kay
Ok, we‘ll have that pack sent to you and we will ring you back in about two weeks’ time to make sure you got on all right with the details we provided you.
George
That’s great! I appreciate your support.
Kay
All right. Thank you for calling Care Information Scotland. Good luck with getting your Carers Allowance set up.
George
Thank you. Good-bye!
Kay
Good-bye, until next time!
YOUR CHECKLISTS
Carer’s Assessment
Carer’s Allowance
Contact your social worker or your local carers centre
Check how the allowance might affect your benefits
Meet the person who will do the assessment for you
Read through the eligibility terms, carefully
Sign the Carers Assessment form
Disability and Carers Service Benefit Enquiry Line for a claim pack
You will be sent the result of the assessment with recommended support
Respite Care
Your Carer Allowance will be processed and you will get a reply
Community Alarm
Read through and make sure you understand all types of respite care
Contact your local Social Work dept to ask about their policy regulations
Apply for Carers Assessment from your Local Authority
Contact a Community Alarm provider
Apply for a financial assessment through your local Social Work Dept
A care home supervisor will visit to talk about cost of installation
You will then be offered the type of respite you are entitled to
The system is installed and the lifeline is set up between you and the people you rely on
KAY’S AVAILABILITY Hi, George, In this table you can see when I am available, should you prefer to talk to me again. If you have chosen for us to store some of your personal data, that should make it easier and quicker to deal with your case next time. However, if you do not wish to share your details with us, it will be good for you to call duing the times I am available. This will ensure you are given the best possible and most efficient service. Thank you for your cooperation. Warmly, Kay.
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2 9 16 23 30
3 10 17 24 31
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5 12 19 26
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WHAT DO YOU THINK?
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