Directors back eligibility criteria overhaul

The Association of Directors of Adult Social Services has backed an overhaul of the fair access to care services eligibility criteria.

Vice-president John Dixon said the current system was “not fit for the new world of personalisation” because it only concentrated on traditional social care services for the eligible minority, rather than the broader range of social inclusion services run for all older and disabled people.

He said a government-commissioned review, being carried out by the Commission for Social Care Inspection, should not “simply revamp criteria”.

Dixon said he favoured councils being judged on the outcomes they achieved for older and disabled people, with a strong focus on prevention.

This should be reflected in the performance management system, where currently “we only get credit for those who have care managed services”, he said.

CSCI will formally launch the review on 1 April with a stakeholder event, which will be followed by an online survey and call for evidence, and then a series of focus groups to discuss options for change over the summer. A sounding board of key stakeholders, including Adass, will meet over the course of the review to discuss recommendations. The review will report by mid-September.

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Essential information on older people’s services

More information

CSCI press release on review

CSCI state of social care report

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Mithran Samuel