Assessment of care needs

Determining who is in need, what those needs are and planning effective services to meet them requires professional assessment and judgement by Medway Council's Community or Children's Services staff, together with other professionals who are working with the client.

Clients referred to or seeking help from the council will have differing levels of need. Many will be helped by advice, practical services or short-term interventions. A smaller proportion will have more complex problems, which require a detailed multi-agency assessment of their needs, leading to appropriate plans and interventions.

When initial assessments of need are undertaken for clients, they are classified against the eligibility criteria for the relevant services as having medium or high priority needs. The priority levels are determined by the extent to which a client's needs are not being met and the likely consequences.

Consideration will always be given to the responsibilities of other agencies and the help that is available from family and friends.

Medway Council provides a wide range of services to meet the needs of people in the community who are eligible to receive them. These services include:

• fostering and adoption;
• accessing community care;
• residential care and nursing home places;
• respite care;
• day care;
• occupational therapy;
• supplying aids and adaptations;
• protecting vulnerable adults;
• supporting people with mental health problems;
• services for people with physical disabilities;
• services for people with learning disabilities;
• support for carers;
• support at home.

If you need to make referral or require general information about these services, please contact an access and information officer.

Normal office hours are:

• Monday - Thursday from 8.30am to 5.15pm;
• Friday from 8.30am to 4.45pm.

In the event of an emergency occurring outside these times, please contact a duty social worker on the 24-hour emergency number below.

^ (back to top)