1. Please provide the name(s), email(s) and telephone number(s) of the individual(s) responsible for carer’s services
Sue Younger-Ross, Joint Carers’ Lead, Tel: 01392 383000, E-mail – carersstrategy-mailbox@devon.gov.uk
2. What is the current process for carers completing a carer’s assessment?
Most Carers Assessments are delegated to our commissioned delivery partner for carers services, although a small number are undertaken in-house; it is also possible for Devon Partnership NHS Trust to undertake these. Decisions on all aspects except replacement care provision can be taken by the commissioned delivery partner. A carer facing booklet is available which can be used as a stand alone self-assessment tool, independent of any assessment or for preparation for an assessment.
3. Is there the ability for carers to do/request this online?
Carers can contact the commissioned delivery partner to request an assessment online, and can use an online tool supplied by Carers UK to “assess” their information needs and generate a personalised information “prescription”.
4. Do you offer carer’s grants? If so, what are the eligibility criteria?
We do not have a carers grants scheme as such. Currently we have an interim scheme to identify new carers to run to March 2020 which incorporates a guaranteed breaks payment element; to receive the lowest level of payment the carer needs to agree to registration with Devon Carers to received the Carers Magazine; a higher level of payment is available if the carer answers any one of a series of short question based on evidence about what means a carer needs a break showing such a need.
5. If you do not provide grants, is provision for carer’s wellbeing available as a direct payment if eligible for support?
Our main means of providing for carers’ wellbeing is through Direct Payments.
6. Are there plans to review / change the policy for provision of carer’s grants and/or direct payments? If so what are these plans? If yes, please provide details of amount of grant available per person and total value of grants issued for 2017/2018
There are no plans to review / change the policy for provision of carer’s grants / direct payments at present.
7. What is the total budget available for carers’ grants if different to above?
The value of the interim scheme is £100k
There is no specific budget for carers’ grants. Overall spend on carers’ direct payments in 2017-18 totalled £269,729. Included within there were 65 ‘one-off’ payments, 37 (£7,369) of which related to a ‘carers break’. A link to Devon County Council’s Budget Books is provided. This shows how the budget is broken down for Adult Social Care.
8. Is this managed in-house or via a third-party organisation? If a third-party organisation please provide name of supplier, total value of contract and contract end date
Caring Well in Devon, delivered by a consortium led by Westbank. If extended beyond 2023, the end date is potentially 2025.
9. What is the process for carers applying for a grant? Are there any restrictions on what the grant can be spent on and is there a requirement for carers to submit receipts?
The interim scheme provides only very low level payments; payments may not be used for unlawful purposes or personal care for the cared-for person, but there are no checks and no receipts required.