1. Does the local authority/health and social care trust hold and maintain a register of carers in its area?
No – it is held by a commissioned third party.
2. If yes to 1, how many carers have been identified in the local authority area at the time of receipt of this FOI?
In the calendar year to end March 2023, which is the latest date for which figures are available, 26,917 carers were registered with Devon Carers.
3. Does the local authority/health and social care trust commission an external organisation(s) to be responsible for and conduct Carers’ Assessments on its behalf?
Yes
4. Does the local authority/health and social care trust – or the commissioned organisation responsible for Carers’ Assessments – have a formal fast-track process in place for the delivery of Carers’ Assessments for carers of people with severe, progressive conditions?
The Commissioned organisation with delegated statutory responsibility for carers assessments operates a first response function which triages all carer contacts for urgency, the objective being an on-the-day initial response where appropriate. The condition of the cared for person is one factor which may be used to decide how urgent the follow up/any further work is. Other factors may include for example concerns about safety, end of life, or carer breakdown. This function works to an agreed Standard Operating Procedure depending on urgency and priority, which ranges between 1 and 10 days.
The majority of Carer reviews are undertaken by our Commissioned Service Provider, Devon Carers. Where a Carer assessment is undertaken directly by DCC cases are prioritised according to risk, need and capacity.
5. Following initial Carers’ Assessments, does the local authority/health and social care trust – or the commissioned organisation responsible for Carers’ Assessments – conduct routine reassessments for carers of people with severe, progressive conditions?
Reviews of Carer Assessments are carried out by the commissioned delivery partner on the basis of need, which would be likely to be influenced by the presence of a severe progressive illness among other factors.
The majority of Carer assessment reviews are undertaken by our Commissioned Service Provider, Devon Carers. Where a Carer review is undertaken directly by DCC cases are prioritised according to risk, need and capacity.
6. Does the local authority/health and social care trust – or the commissioned organisation responsible for Carers’ Assessments – use a standardised form for undertaking Carers’ Assessments?
Yes
7. Does the local authority/health and social care trust have a Single Point of Access for information and guidance on Carers’ Assessments?
Yes
8. What is the cost of conducting one single Carers’ Assessment?
The cost of conducting a single carers assessment varies significantly because the length of time involved can vary because of a range of factors and we do not collect data on this issue.
9. What is the average (mean) waiting time between request for assessment and completion of assessment for all Carers’ Assessments in:
a. The year April 2018 to March 2019
29
b. The year April 2019 to March 2020
21
c. The year April 2020 to March 2021
21
d. The year April 2021 to March 2022
23
e. The year April 2022 to March 2023?
15
10. Does the local authority allocate a specific budget for Carers’ Assessments?
No
11. If yes to 10, what was the local authority’s/health and social care trust’s annual budget for Carers’ Assessments in:
a. The year April 2018 to March 2019
b. The year April 2019 to March 2020
c. The year April 2020 to March 2021
d. The year April 2021 to March 2022
e. The year April 2022 to March 2023?
Not applicable
12. If yes to 10, what proportion, as a percentage, of the budget allocation for Carers’ Assessments was spent in:
a. The year April 2018 to March 2019
b. The year April 2019 to March 2020
c. The year April 2020 to March 2021
d. The year April 2021 to March 2022
e. The year April 2022 to March 2023
Not applicable