Your eligibility for services
Fair Access to Care is about how best to provide people with access to adult social care services. Councils have been given new eligibility criteria by the government so that any new requests for services are dealt with fairly and consistently across the country.
These criteria are descriptions of the kind of needs that adult social care services can help with. They are set up so that people with the most urgent needs get priority.
Fair Access to Care in North Lincolnshire has a framework of three levels for the needs that will be provided for in our area. These replace the previous eligibility bands for adult services. These three levels are:
- Critical
- Substantial
- Moderate
People’s needs are discussed with them during assessment and the appropriate level determined. Where people’s needs fall outside these levels they will be directed to partner organisations wherever possible who may be able to provide some assistance or further information or advice.
The three priorities are:
- Critical,
- for people with the most severe or urgent needs;
- Substantial,
- for people whose needs are serious but not critical;
- Moderate,
- for people who have serious needs but can manage with less help than those who are critical or substantial.
The national Fair Access to Care framework also includes a low priority level. Councils can choose whether they have the resources to provide services to people whose needs are assessed as being at the low level. North Lincolnshire Council is not providing services for these people but will offer them advice and information about alternative services in the voluntary or independent sectors where appropriate.
Fair Access to Care in North Lincolnshire
Critical
- Life is, or will be, threatened; and/or
- Significant health problems have developed or will develop; and/or
- There is, or will be, little or no choice and control over the vital aspects of the immediate environment; and/or
- Serious abuse or neglect has occurred or will occur; and/or
- There is, or will be, an inability to carry out vital personal care or domestic routines; and/or
- Vital involvement in work, education or learning cannot, or will not be sustained; and/or
- Vital social support systems and relationships cannot or will not be sustained; and/or
- Vital family and other social roles and responsibilities cannot or will not be undertaken.
Substantial
- There is, or will be, only partial choice and control over the immediate environment; and/or
- Abuse or neglect has occurred or will occur; and/or
- There is, or will be, an inability to carry out the majority of personal care or domestic routines; and/or
- Involvement in many aspects of work, education or learning cannot or will not be sustained; and/or
- The majority of social support systems and relationships cannot or will not be sustained: and/or
- The majority of family and other social roles and responsibilities cannot or will not be undertaken.
Moderate
- There is, or will be, an inability to carry out several personal care or domestic routines; and/or
- Involvement in several aspects of work, education or learning cannot or will not be sustained; and/or
- Several social support systems and relationships cannot or will not be sustained; and/or
- Several family and other social roles and responsibilities cannot or will not be undertaken.
Useful telephone numbers
- Older People’s Services 01724 297979
- Disability 01724 298000
- Learning Disability 01724 298222
- Mental Health 01724 295959