How to Access the Service (Occupational Therapy)
1. How the Service can be Accessed
The service is accessed through either an;
- Internal referral; or an
- External referral.
Internal referral
An internal referral can only be made by another adult Care and Support service in the borough.
When making an internal referral please ensure that the following information is included;
- All personal details, including the persons full name (and also preferred name or previous surname), address and preferred contact details, date of birth, national insurance number and NHS number;
- The name, relationship and contact details of the person making the referral (if not the person themselves);
- When and how the person consented to the referral;
- If the person has not consented to the referral, was a mental capacity assessment carried out and is the referral being made under Best Interests;
- What the presenting issue is from the person's perspective and what they would like to happen;
- What the presenting issue is from the referrer's point of view (if the referrer is not the person) and what action they may recommend;
- What options have been considered with the person to resolve the issue so far, including what support the person has had from family and community networks;
- What information and advice has been provided to the person or what information and advice may be required;
- What prevention services have been used, considered or may be of benefit;
- Any specific communication needs of the person that need to be considered so they can understand and be involved in any adult Care and Support process;
- Whether the person is likely to have substantial difficulty in any adult Care and Support process, and if so whether an independent advocate has been considered;
- Details of any previous or current Care and Support services (whether the Local Authority is providing them or not);
- With the person's consent the name and contact details of anyone involved in their life who should be involved in any assessment (family member, friend or professional); and
- Any other information deemed relevant by the person or referrer (if the referrer is not the person), for example whether the referral is being made as part of a safeguarding action plan or response.
If any of the above information is missing allocation may not be possible, and further information may be required.
External referral
External referrals should be made via the Community Solutions Service by telephone on 0208 227 2915.
Please note that the Community Solutions Team will explore a range of alternative options and will only make a referral if this is the most appropriate and proportionate response to the presenting issue.
Access for People who are already being supported by Occupational Therapy
Where the person with Care and Support needs is already in receipt of support from the Occupational Therapy service contact can be made;
- Direct to the service (where contact details are known); or
- Via the Community Solutions Service on 0208 227 2915.
2. Steps to Consider before Accessing the Service
Consent (adults and young people over the age of 16)
Referrals
Referrals for Occupational Therapy interventions cannot be taken unless;
- The person the referral relates to is making the referral;
- The person the referral relates to has given their consent to the referral; or
- The person that the referral relates to lacks mental capacity to make a referral and a decision has been made under Best Interests that a referral should be made; or
- The person that the referral relates to is at risk of harm from abuse or neglect.
Information Sharing
Information relating to a particular person cannot be shared unless;
- The person to whom it relates is the one requesting it;
- The person to whom the information relates has given consent for it to be shared with the person requesting it; or
- The person to whom the information relates lacks capacity to consent for it to be shared but has a legally authorised person that agrees to it being shared;
- The person to whom the information relates lacks capacity to consent for it to be shared and the Local Authority makes a decision under Best Interests that it should be shared with the person requesting it; or
- The person is at risk of harm from abuse or neglect.
What can be provided without consent
Unless one of the above situations applies the service will only be able to provide general information and advice.
Where information is gathered or shared it will be done so with full regard to the Caldicott Principles and local information sharing policies.
Use the tri.x Resources tab to access further information about the Caldicott Principles in the glossary.
Click here to read the Freedom of Information Policy and the Information Sharing Policy.
Click here to access the procedure for providing information about a person.
If there are concerns that the person may lack capacity to consent to the contact or referral then a proportionate mental capacity assessment must be carried out to determine whether this is the case. This can be carried out by the person making the contact or referral if they have the necessary skills to do so, or by the Local Authority as part of the referral process.
If the person has capacity to consent following the mental capacity assessment their consent must be obtained before making the contact or referral.
If the person lacks capacity to consent following the mental capacity assessment then a Best Interest Decision must be made to confirm that making the contact or referral will be in their Best Interests.
Click here to access the Mental Capacity Act 2005 Resource and Practice Toolkit, with guidance about assessing capacity and making best interest decisions.
Consent (young people under the age of 16)
Gillick competency test should be used to determine whether a young person under the age of 16 is able to consent to the referral. To be able to consent the young person must be able to understand what they are consenting to and the implications and likely outcome of consenting.
If the young person is able to consent then the same conditions apply as for an adult (see above).
Where a young person under the age of 16 is not able to provide consent this should be given by a person with parental responsibility for them. Their mother will always have parental responsibility, and normally the father will as well. Depending on the circumstances other people may also have been granted parental responsibility by the courts.
Safeguarding
Adults
To raise a concern or provide information relating to adult safeguarding by telephone dial 0208 227 2915 (office hours) or 0208 594 8356 (out of hours emergency).
To raise a concern or provide information relating to adult safeguarding by e-mail please send a high priority e-mail to SafeguardingAdults@lbbd.gov.uk.
If you are a professional safeguarding concerns about an adult can be raised using the online contact form by clicking here.
Click here to access the adult safeguarding procedures, including how to recognise abuse and neglect, how to raise a concern and how to record safeguarding information.
Click here to access the Local Safeguarding Adults Board Multi-Agency Safeguarding Procedures.
Children
To raise a concern about a child call 0208 227 3811 or e-mail assessmentteam@lbbd.gov.uk.
Click here to access the Local Safeguarding Children's Board Multi-Agency Procedures.
If you are concerned that an adult or child is in imminent danger from abuse or neglect, or that a criminal act has taken place you should contact the police by dialling 999 and seek immediate medical support if necessary.
Information and Advice
The Local Authority (and anyone representing the Local Authority) has a duty under Section 4 of the Care Act to either provide directly, or provide access to a range of information and advice relating to adult Care and Support, including financial advice. This duty applies equally in respect of all local residents regardless of age, and regardless of whether the person with Care and Support needs is known to, lives in, or is already receiving services from the Local Authority.
Click here to see what the Care Act says about the duty to provide information and advice, including how information and advice should be provided and the specific information and advice requirements around finances.
To access the procedures for providing information and advice, including providing information and advice about Disabled Facilities Grants (DFG's), click here.
Other Prevention Services
Occupational Therapy is one of a range of services available where the focus is on the prevention, delay or reduction of needs and a person may benefit from more than one prevention service at the same time. Some are provided by the Local Authority and some are provided by the community or partner organisations, such as health.
Under section 2 of the Care Act the Local Authority has a duty to provide access to any prevention services that may be appropriate and beneficial to any adult in the prevention, delay or reduction of Care and Support needs. To this effect the Occupational Therapy service will also consider the appropriateness of alternative prevention services.
Click here to read about the different types of prevention services described in the Care Act.
Click here to access the prevention services procedures, including links to the different prevention services available. You can proceed to consider and make arrangements for any of the prevention services if;
- You feel that they are more appropriate than an Occupational Therapy service; or
- You feel that they would be beneficial as well as the Occupational Therapy service.
Copyright© signisgroup