4.3.2 Accessing Services and Information – Central Bedfordshire APPP Hub

CQC Quality Statements

Theme 1 – Working with People: Supporting people to live healthier lives

We Statement

We support people to manage their health and wellbeing so they can maximise their independence, choice and control. We support them to live healthier lives and where possible, reduce future needs for care and support.

What people expect

I can get information and advice about my health, care and support and how I can be as well as possible – physically, mentally and emotionally. I am supported to plan ahead for important changes in my life that I can anticipate.

CENTRAL BEDFORDSHIRE SPECIFIC INFORMATION

The provision on information and advice support in Central Bedfordshire is offered through Central Bedfordshire Council’s Adult Social Care service and Contact Centre function.

This includes information, advice, guidance, and information about preventative services throughout the person’s involvement with our services, whether via a single contact with us or through a person’s ongoing care and support provision.

1. The Access and Information Service
- 1.1 Timescales
2. Outputs and Outcomes
3. Further Reading
- 3.1 Relevant chapters

1. The Access and Information Service

See also Information and Advice.

Access and Information is the first stage in the person’s journey providing a single point of contact for all calls and enquiries to adult social care. A wide variety and number of calls are received by adult social care and it is important that people get the right response to their enquiry in a timely manner. The practitioner receiving the call from the adult with care and support needs, their carer or a professional, will discuss the query with the caller to ensure they are referred to the right service in a timely manner. This process is called screening.

The team should resolve all questions and requests so far as they are able. The team should also ensure that action is taken to ensure the immediate safety of adults experiencing, or at risk of abuse or neglect including initial assessment, responding to ‘no replies’ and referral to the Adult Safeguarding Team as appropriate (see Adult Safeguarding).

The team should also refer into the appropriate team in adult social care and are able to give information and make referrals to community based and voluntary sector resources.

1.1 Timescales

1.1 Telephony

The enquiry is dealt with immediately either by creating a referral to be actioned by the duty team, referring to another internal department or signposting to an external agency.

1.2 Email enquiries

Referrals / Enquiries received via email are actioned on the same working day; or by the next working day if received after 5pm (Monday-Thursday), Friday – 4:30pm

2. Outputs and Outcomes

The outputs from this service are:

signposting: advice and information offered and enquiry closed;
referral on: to next stage of the person’s journey, for example reablement, case management;
referral on: to community provision, voluntary sector, health, housing, leisure, community safety and so on;
assessment to ensure immediate safety including response to ‘no replies;
action to ensure immediate safety;
referral within the adult safeguarding procedures;
amendment to care and support plan (the customer service advisor would document request and then refer on to the social worker to action);
provision of one-off pieces of equipment (referrals are taken by advisors for major adaptations only, any exceptions would be referred to OT duty for further instruction or would be referred to a Senior OT manager to be assessed. Minor aids and adaptations are signposted to the Community OT).