Question
Asked by
To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Baroness Thornton on 8 December (WA 114–15), what assessment they have made of whether local authorities' assessments of people as "critical" under Fair Access to Care Services current guidance are consistent. [HL880]
In 2008, the Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) reviewed the eligibility for social care. In their review Cutting the cake fairly, they asked people what needed to be changed about the Fair Access to Care Service (FACS) guidance which was launched by the department in 2003. The findings in paragraph 3.62 of the commission’s review show that the top proposal for improving FACS was “More consistent implementation”. A copy of the document has been placed in the Library.
As a result of the CSCI report, the department is revising the FACS guidance. A consultation ended on 6 October 2009. The intention is to bring forward revised guidance in the new year and a set of training materials that will help councils apply the criteria more consistently.