Home

About us

Advice for carers

Contact us

Links

Southwark Carers

Cambridge House

131 Camberwell Rd

London

SE5 0HF

T: 020 7708 4497

Social and Health Services

You should not be expected to take on the whole burden of caring without support. Southwark Council can organise community care services for the person you care for. A range of services may be offered, which could be provided by social services, the health service, voluntary agencies or private businesses. This section explains what they are and how to access them.

Southwark Social Services provide assistance at home or in the community for adults who need extra support. This includes people who are frail or elderly, people with mental health problems, people with physical or sensory disabilities, people with learning difficulties and people with a drug or alcohol addiction. Before offering any services to the person you care for a Community Care Assessment must be carried out by a social worker.

You can request an assessment for the person you care for, or they can be referred by somebody else such as their GP. If the person is in hospital an assessment should be carried out before they leave, in consultation with yourself, nurses, doctors and therapists. Social Services will prioritise the most urgent requests for assessment.

The assessment process tries to find out what needs the person you care for has. This is done through discussing different areas of their life such as health, daily activities and mobility. A social worker will listen to their description of the situation and their feelings about it. They will then discuss the different types of service that might be available. You should be consulted in decisions about services for the person you look after, and your ability to continue caring should not be taken for granted. Do not feel pressured into agreeing with anything you are not happy with.

You can also request an assessment for yourself to address your needs as a carer. The Carers’ Assessment looks at your caring roles and your ability and willingness to continue with them. You can request an assessment from Social Services, regardless of whether the person you care for has had a Community Care Assessment, and at any time.

The assessment should take place somewhere that is convenient for you. You can choose if the person you care for is present, or if you would like a friend, relative or advocate to be with you. A social worker will discuss the care that you provide and should not assume that you wish to continue providing it. They will then explain the services that may be available to you.

Following the assessments you and the person you care for will receive an individually-tailored Care Plan. This will detail which services could be provided, when the services can start, who they could be provided by, what it will cost the person cared for and when the plan will be reviewed. It should also explain any services that couldn’t be provided and say why. This Care Plan should be reviewed regularly by Social Services, and you can request a review if you feel it is needed.

The services offered to you will be non-intrusive to the person you care for, for example counselling or training. It is up to you which, if any, of the services offered to you that you want to accept. If your circumstances change you can request another assessment.

Social Services must make it clear which services are for you and which are for the person you care for. They are only required to meet the needs that no-one else is willing to meet, but they cannot refuse a service on the basis that they do not have the money or resources.

Community Care Assessments and Care Assessments are free, however some of the services then offered will not be. If you or the person you care for choose to accept any of the services you may be asked financial questions about your income, benefits and savings. It will then be decided how much you need to contribute. Most people contribute nothing at all. You do not have to answer these questions, but if you don’t it may be assumed that you can pay the full cost.

Instead of using the services the council offers you, you may be able to use Direct Payments to purchase services from other agencies. This scheme means accepting cash payments from social services to buy any services or equipment that your Care Plan has agreed that you need. Some disabled people also choose to arrange and manage their own home care independently.

If you or the person you care for has a complaint about a service, you should contact the service provider as soon as possible. Keep a record of any letters that you send, and the names and job titles of anybody that you speak to. Social Services follow national standards of care and can inform you of your rights and their formal complaints procedures.

Services available after an assessment may include:

• Alarm scheme
• Counselling
• Breaks from caring
• Equipment
• Home adaptations
• Home care
• Incontinent laundry scheme
• Meals at home
• Physiotherapy
• Respite care
• Shopping service
• Speech therapy

Each assessment is different, and the services available will vary.

Further links:

SOUTHWARK HOSPITALS

Dulwich Hospital
Guy's Hospital
King's College Hospital
Maudsley Hospital
St Thomas' Hospital

Southwark PCT Patient Advice and Liaison Service

COMMUNITY HEALTH SERVICES

Adult Therapy Team
A team of occupational therapists, physiotherapists, speech and language therapists and rehabilitation assistants. They work in partnership with people with physical, cognitive or communication difficulties.

District Nursing
A home visiting service to patients who are housebound and in need of pain and symptom management.

Foot health services
A range of services to assess, treat and advise people on any foot condition.

NATIONAL STANDARDS OF CARE

Commission for Social Care Inspection

Commission for Healthcare Audit and Inspection

General Social Care Council

Social Care Institute for Excellence

 

back to top

Quick Tips

Contact Social Services and request a Community Care Assessment for the person you care for and a Carers’ Assessment for yourself

Keep copies of letters and records of telephone calls

Before the assessments take some time to think about your needs and what would help you in your caring role.

If you would like to discuss any aspect of Social and Health Services with a member of Southwark Carers staff please contact us.

SOUTHWARK COUNCIL SOCIAL SERVICES

Tel: 020 7525 3838
Tel: 020 7525 5000 (24hr)

Children’s District (North) Tel: 020 7525 1925

Children’s District (South) Tel: 020 7525 1049

Children’s Direct Services Tel: 020 7525 4409

Community Care Team
Tel: 020 7919 2403

Complaints Officer
Tel: 020 7525 3977

Disabilities Services
Tel: 020 7525 2149

Hospital Discharge (South)
Tel: 020 7346 6276

Hospital Discharge (North)
Tel: 020 7922 8080

Mental Health (N. West) Tel: 020 7525 2751

Mental Health (N. East)
Tel: 020 7231 4578

Mental Health (South)
Tel: 020 7525 6100 / 6101

Occupational Therapy
Tel: 020 7525 3959

Older People (North)
Tel: 020 7525 3241

Older People (South)
Tel: 020 7525 4612

Substance Misuse Team Tel: 020 7919 2403

Looking after someone can be a difficult task, affecting your health, family, social life and employment.

Although it may be something you want or have to do, it may also be a role you’ve taken on with little or no preparation or training.

Admitting that you need a rest or some help is not admitting failure, and Social Services are there to provide some important support.

The advice sections are currently under development and being added to regularly.

If you can't find the information you need, or have any comments or queries please contact us