Quality standard
Quality statement 3: Assessing carers' needs
Quality statement 3: Assessing carers' needs
Quality statement
Carers having a carer's assessment are given the opportunity to discuss what matters most to them, including their own health, wellbeing and social care needs, and work, education, or training.
Rationale
A statutory carer's assessment provides carers with psychosocial and emotional benefits and may be viewed as a therapeutic intervention. As such, it is important to ensure that the assessment focuses on what matters most to the carer and what will help them so that they can be better supported in their caring role. It should provide the opportunity to discuss all relevant aspects of their health, wellbeing and social care needs as well as work, education or training. It is important to ensure that the assessment is focused on the needs of the carer rather than the person they care for.
Quality measures
Structure
Evidence of local processes to ensure that carers having a carer's assessment are given the opportunity to discuss what matters most to them, including their own health, wellbeing and social care needs, and work, education, or training.
Data source: Local data collection, for example, local protocol or assessment forms.
Process
a) Proportion of carers' assessments that included the health, wellbeing, and social care needs of the carer.
Numerator – the number in the denominator that included the health, wellbeing, and social care needs of the carer.
Denominator – the number of carers' assessments.
Data source: Local data collection, for example, local audit of client records.
b) Proportion of carers' assessments that included the work, education, or training needs of the carer.
Numerator – the number in the denominator that included the work, education, or training needs of the carer.
Denominator – the number of carers' assessments.
Data source: Local data collection, for example, local audit of client records.
Outcome
a) Proportion of carers who had a carer's assessment who are satisfied that it reflects what matters most to them.
Numerator – the number in the denominator who are satisfied that it reflects what matters most to them.
Denominator – the number of carers who had a carer's assessment.
Data source: Local data collection, for example, survey of carers.
b) Carer quality of life.
Data source: Local data collection, for example, survey of carers. NHS Digital's personal social services survey of adult carers in England includes data on quality of life for carers who are in contact with local authorities. A carer‑reported quality-of-life score based on these survey data is included in NHS Digital's measures from the Adult Social Care Outcomes Framework.
c) Proportion of carers in paid work.
Numerator – the number in the denominator who are in paid work.
Denominator – the number of carers.
Data source: Local data collection, for example, survey of carers. NHS Digital's personal social services survey of adult carers in England includes data on employment status for carers who are in contact with local authorities. As some carers will choose not to work, local areas should agree the expected performance in relation to this measure.
What the quality statement means for different audiences
Service providers (such as local authorities, private, not-for-profit and voluntary sector care providers) ensure that processes are in place for carers' assessments to focus on what matters most to the carer and what will help them so that they can be better supported in their caring role. Providers ensure that carers' assessments provide the opportunity to discuss all relevant aspects of their own health, wellbeing and social care needs including work, education or training. Providers ensure that staff who carry out carers' assessments have training and skills in that role, including knowledge and understanding of potential opportunities for returning to, or remaining in, work, education or training.
Health and social care practitioners (such as social workers or voluntary sector staff) ask carers about what matters most to them during a carer's assessment, including giving them the opportunity to discuss their own health, wellbeing and social care needs, and work, education or training. Practitioners discuss with carers what might help them so that they can be better supported in their caring role. Practitioners ensure that the assessment is jointly produced with the carer.
Commissioners (local authorities) commission services that carry out carers' assessments that give carers the opportunity to discuss what matters most to them, including their health, wellbeing, and social care needs, and work, education or training, and any help they may need to support them in their caring role.
Carers who are having a carer's assessment are given the opportunity to discuss what matters most to them, including their health and wellbeing and any help and support they may need. If they want to work, the assessment includes any support they may need to remain in, start or return to work, education or training.
Source guidance
Supporting adult carers. NICE guideline NG150 (2020), recommendations 1.3.2, 1.3.4 and 1.3.15
Definitions of terms used in this quality statement
Carer's assessment
Anyone who is an unpaid carer for a family member or friend has the right to discuss their own needs with their local authority (or delegated organisation), separate to the needs of the person they care for. This is a statutory requirement under the Care Act 2014. Carers can discuss anything they think would help with their own health and wellbeing or with managing other aspects of their life, including their caring role. The local authority uses this information to support the carer and decide what help it can offer. The assessment is an ongoing, flexible process and includes any reviews undertaken. [NICE's guideline on supporting adult carers, terms used in this guideline and expert opinion]
Equality and diversity considerations
Service providers that carry out carers' assessments should make reasonable adjustments to ensure that carers with additional needs, such as physical, sensory or learning disabilities, and people who do not speak or read English, or who have reduced communication skills, can have an assessment that is accessible and takes account of their needs. People should have access to an interpreter (including British Sign Language) or advocate if needed.