Adult Social Care: Needs Assessments, Support Plans, and Care Reviews - WNC

The 3 Conversations

West Northamptonshire Council approach to adult social care assessments is called the 3 Conversations.

All the conversations are undertaken in line with relevant legislation.

You can ask a family member or friend to be with you for your assessment. This is helpful if you find it hard to understand things or explain your views. They can also take notes for you.

If you don’t know someone to ask, you can ask the Council to find an independent advocate to support you

An independent advocate is a trained professional who can help ensure your opinions are heard. 

Please note: You might need to pay a contribution towards your adult social care.

The 3 Conversations are:

• Conversation 1 - Initial contact
• Conversation 2 - Short-term and/or crisis support
• Conversation 3 - Care Act assessment

Adult Social Care eligibility criteria:

1. The adult’s needs arise from (or are related to) a physical or mental impairment or illness.
2. As a result of the adult’s needs, the adult cannot achieve two or more of the specified outcomes below.
3. As a consequence of being unable to achieve these outcomes, there is (or there is likely to be) a significant impact on the adult’s wellbeing.

Specified outcomes:

• Manage and maintain nutrition
• Maintain person hygiene
• Manage toilet needs
• Being appropriately clothed
• Being able to make use of your home safely
• Maintain a habitable home environment
• Develop/maintain family and other personal relationships
• Access/engage in work, training, education or volunteering
• Make use of community services
• Carry out caring responsibilities for a child

What happens after Conversation 3 (the Care Act assessment)?

The assessment might identify that you have eligible care and support needs. If that happens, you will also be asked to complete a financial assessment.

The Council will work with you to identify how these needs can be met and the outcomes you want to achieve by creating a care and support plan with you.

Where an adult is found to have no eligible needs, the Council will provide information and advice on:

• Other sources of support that might be available to meet or reduce the needs they have
• What can be done to prevent or delay the development of future needs

Support Plans

A Support Plan will describe how the needs identified in your assessment will be met, who will meet them, and what they’ll cost. It will also state if you want to take your Personal Budget as:

• a Direct Payment (‘one off’ or ongoing money paid to you to buy your own support)
• a Managed Service (the Local Authority will buy services on your behalf)
• or a mixture of both

The Council must agree the Support Plan and:

• that the planned support can meet the needs and outcomes from your assessment
• how you will manage your budget
• and the amount of your Personal Budget

You will be given a copy of your support plan, and then your support can be arranged and begin.

Refer Yourself to Adult Social Care or Make a Referral for Somebody Else

You can use this online form to help the Council understand any care needs you may have. They will use this information to decide if you might be eligible for support.

• Refer Yourself to Adult Social Care or Make a Referral for Somebody Else (Link)

Request a Care Review

Do you currently receive adult social care services from West Northamptonshire Council? If so, you can use this online form to request a review or change to your current package.

• Request a Care Review (Link)