1. What will this presentation do? Explain what Single Assessment Process is and where it comes from Explain how Single Assessment will improve older peoples services and support person centered care Outline the implications of Single Assessment for staff You may hear Single Assessment referred to as SAP by other professionals (Please note that this presentation is designed to raise awareness of Single Assessment – more detailed training will follow for staff as appropriate.)

2. Single Assessment – Where did it come from? Outlined in the NHS Plan – July 2000 Explained in Standard 2 from the National Service Framework for Older People – March 2001 Single Assessment also contributes to all other standards in the NSF for Older People This guidance is directed at all statutory agencies responsible for health and social care

3. What is Single Assessment? An ongoing assessment process with the continual input of different professionals to gradually build up a picture of the older person. There are 4 levels of assessment (see next slides) –Contact –Overview –Specialist –Comprehensive An Assessment summary will be given to the older person with details of basic personal information, needs and health and summary of the integrated care plan.

4. Single Assessment Contact Assessment (Generic) –Contains basic personal information and present difficulties –Completed by any member of staff who has received training e.g. receptionists, auxiliary nurses, customer service officers –Organisations could choose to use this as a method of referral –Explores wider health and social care needs and triggers the need to complete an Overview Assessment Name: D.O.B etc

5. Single Assessment Overview (Generic) –Individual completing this has the contact assessment which they then add to by going into more detail over several areas –Produces a more complete picture of an older person –Identifies risks and triggers the need for specialist assessment –Includes information on providers / agencies –Can be completed at any time - may be prompted by the triggers in the Contact Assessment or a professional involved with the older person may decide to complete the Overview at a later date.

6. Single Assessment Specialist (Specific) –Individual completing this has the contact and overview assessments which they then add to by a specialist assessment –Difficulties identified for the older person through the contact and overview assessments are assessed in more detail. –Involves the use of current specialist tools / scales / measures –Examples of specialist assessments could include nursing, mental heath, social care, housing, occupational therapy, physiotherapy

7. Single Assessment Comprehensive –Occurs where several specialist assessments are needed –Coordinated by most relevant professional as decided by the multi-disciplinary team, this professional would hold all assessment information –Level of support is intensive and prolonged, possibly involving the role of a Consultant in Medicine for the Elderly –Appropriate for older people with: complex needs; at risk of loosing independence; risk of admission to residential/nursing home care –A complex package of care is identified e.g. care home, intermediate care

8. Single Assessment the foundation for supporting person centred care Single Assessment Person centred care

9. Person Centred Care is about older people…. Telling the story of their problems once Remaining in control of their own life Feeling respected Being treated as a person in their own right Keeping independent for as long as they can Remaining in their own home Having one point of contact for their care (This is what older people have told us that they want from their care)

10. How can Single Assessment contribute to this ideal for person centred care? Provides: A method of storing and sharing basic information about the older person so the older person is not constantly repeating themselves. Support to different professional groups working closely together as a team and identifies the most appropriate professional to take the lead in the care dependant on the older persons needs A method of assessment that puts the older person in the centre (and keeps them in control) Records that can be shared across different professional groups and organisations, speeding up the provision of equipment and services to promote independence Assessment criteria that provides a complete picture of the whole person to address the multifaceted nature of health & social well being Support for professional practice/judgement

11. Single Assessment – what does assessment look like now? BUT Systems, paperwork, computer records all vary across the country (although there is a long term plan to enable all parts of the country to be able to share computerised information) The systems and paperwork will need to be continually tweaked so they support and facilitate person centred care and make it easier for various professionals to work more closely together. Staff want to improve services for older people and achieve person centred care

12. Some of the work done so far in Single Assessment Confidentiality and Information sharing protocols are being developed Small groups of staff are piloting Single Assessment documentation and methods of sharing information with colleagues. eg District Nurses and Social Workers, Intermediate Care teams, acute wards, GP Practices, The national computer programme for health will produce assessment records that are compliant with Single Assessment and easy to share across disciplines and organisations. Current Assessment Documentation both paper and electronic is gradually being updated to be Single Assessment compliant by covering the necessary areas.

13. Some of the work done so far in Single Assessment Eleven shared values have been agreed across Cumbria and Lancashire: 1.Respect and promote the autonomy of the individual 2.All service provision to be seen by the user as a single package of care 3.Informed consent is needed for every element of the care package 4.Age (of itself) should not determine how services are accessed or provided 5.If an individual lacks capacity to make decisions, agencies to have procedures for maximum participation and safeguarding the older persons interests.

14. Some of the work done so far in Single Assessment Eleven shared values have been agreed across Cumbria and Lancashire (continued) 6.SAP should promote health and well being and optimise independence 7.Service information should be understandable and accessible 8.Professionals should be competent to work with older people and should be active in Continuing Professional Development. 9.Care workers will promote and maintain good practice and adhere to legal requirements and relevant standards of practice. 10.Communication will be open and straightforward 11.A holistic approach to assessment will incorporate the whole picture of individual needs

15. What will Single Assessment mean for me? Eventually when the computer system has been completed - all staff will record their assessment information on one set of records that health and social care professionals will access for the elements relevant to them Already staff working in multidisciplinary teams are working towards shared records that promote person centred care and comply with Single Assessment requirements (see website at the end of this presentation) All staff working in health or social care will contribute to their team in looking at ways of smoothing the older persons pathway through an area by adapting referrals into and out of your area to comply with Single Assessment guidelines Generally be ready for the introduction of new assessments that will comply with Single Assessment.

16. Single Assessment If you want to know more then you can: –Request your manager to provide the presentation detailing progress in implementing Single Assessment in your area –Speak to your manager about a member of your team contacting one of the areas where Single Assessment has been implemented. (They will have received contact details with this pack) –Also visit the Department of Health Website www.dh.gov.uk

17. Thought to end with!

18. Every month we spend improving services for older people……. is a month closer to using the services ourselves!