The Care Act and what it means for Oxfordshire

Adults and their loved ones want to have more control over what care and support is available to them.

That is the clear message we at Oxfordshire County Council have been hearing and one we have been adhering to over recent years.

Our on-going commitment to close working with clients and their families puts us in an excellent position regarding new national government rules, which come into force today.

This new legislation – known as The Care Act – is about how adult social care is provided for each person.

This covers things like support in the home, such as assistance with getting dressed and eating, as well as helping people remain as independent as possible, which often prevents problems occurring in the first place.

The Care Act brings the same rules and entitlement for everybody across the board, all over the country – replacing a system where different support was available depending on where people lived.

The county council welcomes it, in part because we are already offering a lot of what is being enshrined into law.

I think it is hugely significant as at some point it is likely to affect all of us: we never know when we ourselves or a loved one will need some help and support in life.

I want to reassure people that these new rules will not mean that the level of support for people will reduce – on the contrary.

The Care Act focuses in particular on unpaid carers.

The most significant change for Oxfordshire’s unpaid carers I feel will be that assessments will be offered to them in the same way in which we currently assess people for support who are being cared for.

This means that support offered to carers will be determined by taking into account a range of circumstances such as people’s physical and mental wellbeing.

This will mean that they are at the heart of things.

It will enable the council to see what people’s support needs are, which could result in them being entitled to respite care or a payment to help with their caring duties.

People can fill out an assessment form online or call for assistance.

The new rules will also ensure that carers have tailored information and advice. The council will do this by building on the long-established support that is available from Carers Oxfordshire, which we fund.

This free service has worked very closely with carers over recent years and has assisted thousands of people to signpost them to available support.

Its aim is to identify carers early on in their caring lives to offer support to help reduce the likelihood of crises and carer breakdown.

We will also enhance the excellent partnership work with the local voluntary and community sectors. This will ensure that as much information and advice as possible is available for people.

The council is also adding more detail to its public website, so that people can find out as much information as they might need.

We will continue to provide the free of charge face-to-face information and advice service about local support services, activities, social care and money matters from the Community Information Networks, which are available throughout the county.

The Government made £1.2m available to the county council to make the changes associated with the Care Act.

We value hugely the extremely important work done by carers in Oxfordshire and want to assist them in every way possible.

Another key part of the Care Act is making law the existing approach in Oxfordshire, whereby the county council can help pay people’s care costs up front via a deferred payment.

This means that people could delay selling their home and repaying care costs when they choose, or after their death.

The Government consulted on the introduction of a proposed cap on the amount people will pay for their care from April next year, which could mean that some people receive more financial support from the county council.

Keeping people well is a key element in our approach to adult social care generally, and these new rules certainly build on what we are already doing. I would encourage people to find out more about what the Care Act means by visiting oxfordshire.gov.uk More information can also be obtained from the Carers Oxfordshire – carersoxfordshire.org.uk, where people can complete an online assessment form.

They can also be reached on 0845 050 7666 or people can send an email to carersoxfordshire@oxfordshire.gov.uk

People can also ask for a carers’ assessment by calling 0845 050 7666.

More information about Community Information Networks can be found at www.ageuk.org.uk/oxfordshire