News

Forty per cent of local authorities in north west England could be breaching their statutory duties by denying potential users access to need assessments, claims Age Concern in north west England.

This is one of the key findings from research carried out between July and September 1998 by 18 Age Concern organisations.

The research was undertaken to investigate the extent and nature of pre-assessment screening processes employed by social services departments.

Researchers examined 13 local authority areas - 62 per cent of the region.

Over three-quarters routinely screened potential users as part of the assessment process. Of these, at least 40 per cent were found to be impeding or denying users access to assessments.

"It is of particular concern that 40 per cent of those local authorities that screen are screening out individuals who are entitled to assessments of need, delaying assessments, or refusing to undertake them in certain cases," says the report.

"Whether these cases are exceptional or not they remain troubling as it can be strongly argued that they represent a breach of statutory duty."

Although over half the authorities placed timescales on how long it should reasonably take for a potential user to receive an assessment, urgent referrals could wait for between two days and four weeks depending on the authority area, and non-urgent responses could take anything from three to eight weeks.

Just five authorities had target times within which to complete the assessment process.

The assessment process had changed significantly in at least six authorities over the past three years, mainly by tightening or redefining eligibility criteria and charging for services.

Seven authorities did not, as part of routine practice, promote or inform carers of their rights to a separate assessment under the Carers (Recognition and Services) Act 1995.