Hi
I’m looking for advice about speeding up the assessment process for my friend
Her father has dementia. He was managing living at home with his wife until she died suddenly several months ago. She was his sole carer.
My friend is now looking after him as he can’t be left alone (he wanders and has set the house on fire previously). He is still awaiting assessment and has been deemed a priority but there is no timescale for this to happen.
Is there anything my friend can do to speed up the process? She is almost at breaking point herself and cannot cope with his 24/7 care.
I apologise if I have used any incorrect terminology, I am new to this and just trying to help my friend. Thanks
Hi Rachel. I assume from reading your post that the assessment is for the father and not your friend as carer (as carers can also request a carers assessment - I did myself and have a phone apt on Monday - although I can’t remember off-hand what the advantage is, oddly)?
I’ve been caring since July last year and have been involved with so many organisations that I often struggle to recall what’s-what’s and who is who. However, its the local “authority” - as they like to refer to themselves - specifically what we used to refer to as Social Services but is often now ‘Adult Access Team’ or similar, depending on which council it is - who generally oversee this process [you might find that it goes from GP direct to the MEMORY ASSESSMENT TEAM within your local NHS area Health Authority. I think from memory that a GP referral is first port of call. I’m afraid that, unless you have the funds to go private, then you are in the system - and in the age of privatisation of the NHS, that means delays etc etc, but persevere.
In the first instance, I’d look into the websites of the gentleman’s GP surgery, plus that of the local CCG - Clinical Commissioning Group, plus if necessary that of his local NHS area trust, but the first two sites will tell you which this is.
Aside from that, I don’t think I know of any strings to pull - BUT get the gentleman’s case logged with local groups and charities (lots of “quangos” which former PM Cameron talked of getting rid of, but instead created CCG’s instead to aid the privatisation!). For instance, in East Dorset where a friend of mine is based, Help and Care are one of these. *But be warned, many of these org’s seem to do more “signposting” than anything else.
Anyway, good luck!
Hi & Welcome Rachel
What a good friend you are!
You friend needs to make very clear to Social Services it’s a temporary arrangement and give a time limit and stick to it. And that when she is no longer living there it will become a adult safe guarding issue. As her father through no fault of his own has become a danger to himself and others. The longer you friend remains caring for her father the longer the assessment time will become. Because while she takes on the caring role her father is deemed not to be in immediate danger.