Devon's Eligibility Criteria for Adult Care Services

2. Local Policy

This policy sets out how decisions will be made in Devon about ‘what sorts of people with what kinds of needs qualify for what types of services’.

Devon's Eligibility Criteria will:

• Be non-discriminatory.
• Be applied equally across all adult service user groups including adult carers.
• Lead to equitable, transparent and consistent decision making within available resources.
• Be based on the assessed needs of, and risks to, individuals with particular reference to the seriousness of any consequences to independence.
• Be clear about the level of risk to independence that will trigger a service and the level that will trigger redirection and/or information and advice.
• Enable the authority to balance demand for services with available budget.
• Be written in a way that is easily understood by staff, service users and carers and available in different formats.

The Eligibility Criteria Checklist sets out where Devon will draw the ‘threshold for services’ line ref. Appendix 1 (45KB - pdf help). The same Eligibility Criteria will be used for all adult service users, to ensure services are offered on a fair and consistent basis.

Individual’s views will always be heard and respected. However, in the interests of equity and best use of resources, the Council retains responsibility to apply its Eligibility Criteria.

This policy and procedural guidance will provide employees with clarity and the assurance that they are working within the framework adopted by the County Council.

The Eligibility Criteria threshold is set, and can be changed by, members of the council and must be reviewed at least annually. Any changes must be agreed by members.

This policy only applies to those needs that the Social Services are responsible for meeting. Assessments will identify needs that other agencies are responsible for meeting, including housing and health services. These agencies have their own policies for determining how services will be allocated to people. These include:

• NHS responsibilities for meeting continuing healthcare needs.
• Nursing care as set out in section 49 of the Health and Social Care Act 2001.
• Intermediate care.
• Supporting People.
• Disabled Facilities Grants.

This policy has been developed with the involvement of managers, staff and users and carers.

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