Draft guide on single assessment

Social workers have been urged to prepare for the new health and
social care single assessment process for older people, due to come
into effect from April 2002.

The call comes in the Department of Health’s draft consultation
guidance, published this week.

“Social workers should be prepared to update their skills so
they are able to work effectively with older people, other
disciplines and assessment procedures,” it says. Social workers
must also identify colleagues who will be best placed to carry out
in-depth assessments.

Agreed local approaches to the process will need a
person-centred and outcome-centred approach.

The draft guidance is available from www.doh.gov.uk Consultation ends
26 September, with final guidance expected in October.