The Scottish Government

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Part 2: Moving into a care home

• Regulation and inspection of care homes - the Care Commission
• Contacting the social work service
• How will my care needs be assessed?

What is a care home?

A care home is a place where people can live and be looked after by trained staff day and night in homely surroundings. Care homes were previously known as either nursing or residential homes.

• Care homes have staff who have been trained to look after you in accordance with set standards.
• Care homes can also provide additional equipment and trained nurses on duty day and night to provide skilled nursing care when you need it.
• Care homes are registered and inspected by the Care Commission.

The Care Commission

Care homes in Scotland are regulated by the Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care (the Care Commission), taking account of the National Care Standards. There are five sets of standards for adult care homes including a set for care homes for older people. The standards are based on a set of principles that reflect your rights as a citizen such as dignity, choice and privacy. They describe what you can expect from the service provider. You should be able to see the standards at your local library and online at www.scotland.gov.uk/health/standardsandsponsorship Copies are also available from

Telephone 0131 622 8222

Accessing inspection reports on care homes

The latest inspection report should be available to prospective residents and their relatives from the Care Commission.

You can contact the Care Commission at:

Tel: 01382 207100
Lo-call: 0845 603 0890
Website: www.carecommission.com

If you think you may need to move into a care home, you should contact your local social work service who can help you to:

• decide whether you should really move to a care home;
• find a suitable home; and
• understand your eligibility for financial support, including free nursing and personal care.

If you need assistance to arrange and/or pay for the care that you feel you need in a care home, the social work service will formally assess your care needs and ability to contribute towards the care costs. ( See part 4.)

If you can afford to pay for a place in a care home, and want to take advantage of the payments available for the costs of nursing care or personal care, you must first have your need for such care assessed by the social work service. ( See part 5.)

If you can afford to pay for a place in a care home, you can choose to go into residential care without first contacting the social work service. However, whilst you are free to do this, it cannot be guaranteed that the social work service will assess you as being in need of personal and/or nursing care should you apply for this funding assistance after entering the home.

Contacting the social work service

If you already receive help from the social work service, you can ask your careworker, home help or social worker to arrange for the appropriate person in the service to contact you.

If you are not already in contact, you will find the address and telephone number in your 'phone book under 'social work' or your local authority's name, or at your local library or council offices. If you have trouble finding these details, your doctor's surgery or Citizens Advice Bureau will be able to help you.

If you are currently in hospital, a hospital social worker will be able to assist you.

How will the social work service decide what your needs are?

First an 'assessment' of your care needs will be undertaken depending on the difficulties you are having. The assessment may be carried out by one of a number of different people ( e.g. nurse, social worker, occupational therapist). You will be asked some questions about yourself, for example:

• What do you have difficulty in doing?
• What would you like to be able to do?
• What help do you already get from family, friends or other carers?
• Why are you thinking of moving into a care home?

You may want to have a relative, friend or carer with you during the assessment. If you do not have anyone to give you this support, there may be a local 'advocacy' scheme that can help you. The Scottish Independent Advocacy Alliance can provide details of advocacy workers in your area. Their telephone number is 0131 455 8183. Their website can be found at: www.siaa.org.uk

If you agree, the person doing the assessment will also probably ask your doctor about your health. She (or he) will also talk to any friends or relatives who already help you and will consider their needs and views as well.

If you are considering moving into a care home, the social work service must get medical advice if it is thought that you need nursing care.

Assessments of people with complex needs may take longer than for other people. You should be given a copy of the results of your assessment. If you are not, you should ask for one. After finding out what your needs are, the person who assesses you will discuss with you the kinds of help that you can get. The assessment may suggest that moving into a care home is not the best way to meet your needs.

The person who assesses you may suggest that you carry on living in your current home if it is considered that would be best for you. If you need help to make it easier for you to do that, he or she will arrange it. This help might include meals on wheels, home help, day centre care, a short break or respite care to give you the chance to have different experiences and a change of setting. The person who assessed you may suggest that you apply to move into sheltered housing. Sheltered housing is adapted to suit older people and people with special needs. It also has staff who will help to make sure you are as safe and secure as possible. The Age Concern Scotland publication Should I Move - Housing Choices For Older People, includes advice on other care options available to you.

What if I disagree with the assessment?

If you disagree with the assessment and the types of help suggested for you, you can ask for a review. If you are still not satisfied with the results of the assessment, or the way in which it was carried out, you can make a formal complaint. ( See part 6.)

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