Monitoring Urgent or Interim Support and Services (Triage)

The monitoring of urgent and interim support should involve:

1. The person with urgent needs;
2. Any carer;
3. Anyone else that the person requests is involved; and
4. Anyone else that you feel needs to be involved (with the person's consent or in their best interests if they lack capacity).

When the person lacks capacity you must ensure that they are appropriately represented and that their involvement in monitoring activity is maximised.

You should consider:

1. Who may be able to support them to be involved;
2. The need to provide independent advocacy if there is not an appropriate person to support them to be involved;
3. Consulting with others who may be able to provide information about how the urgent support is working for the person; and
4. Using available evidence that can support you to understand the impact that the urgent support may be having on the person (for example ABC charts and other records that show behaviour changes clearly linked to the support).

All information gathering and sharing should be carried out with regard to the Caldicott Principles, Data Protection legislation and local information sharing policies.

If a person does not lack capacity but has substantial difficulty being involved in monitoring activity you must take all reasonable steps to ensure their involvement.

You must:

1. Ensure that you have provided information in an accessible way, or that they have an appropriate person to support them to understand it;
2. Arrange to monitor the urgent support/service in an appropriate format so that it is accessible. This is likely to be face to face, unless the person's/carer's difficulty arises when engaging in face to face communication;
3. Consider whether there is an appropriate person to support their involvement and, if not, whether the advocacy duty applies.

The urgent and interim support should be monitored to the timeframe that was agreed when it was arranged unless there is evidence that this is no longer appropriate or proportionate (for example if the person's urgent needs or circumstances have changed).

You should use supervision effectively to discuss and agree the need for continued monitoring.

When monitoring urgent support/services you should make effective use of any information that is available about:

1. The effectiveness of the support being provided;
2. The person's needs or circumstances.

Information could include:

1. Records of contact with the person, their carer or provider in between formal monitoring activity;
2. Reports from professionals (for example a GP, Psychologist or Teacher);
3. Records relating to safeguarding concerns or enquiries.

The method of monitoring urgent or interim support should be proportionate to the nature of the support being provided, and the needs and circumstances of the person/carer. It could include:

1. Face to face visits (required if the person lacks capacity);
2. A meeting involving the person, any carer and the provider of the urgent support;
3. Telephone contact with the person, any carer and the provider of the urgent support;
4. E-mail communication.

The method of monitoring should be agreed with the person whose urgent needs are being met and any carer.

Any on-going monitoring activity carried out should be clearly recorded. In particular you should record:

1. Whether the urgent support is meeting urgent needs as intended;
2. Whether there have been any issues with the urgent support;
3. Whether the person still has an urgent need for support;
4. What other options have been discussed to meet urgent needs (from a strengths based approach);
5. Whether any changes to monitoring activity are required.

If the person's needs have changed to the point where there is no longer any appearance of need they are no longer eligible for Care and Support from the Local Authority.

Whenever a decision is made to end urgent or interim support you must consider and record:

1. The rationale for any decision made;
2. How you have given regard to the person's/carer's views and the impact of the decision of Wellbeing; and
3. In the case of urgent support to a person with Care and Support needs, how you have given regard for the views of any carer.

When it is agreed urgent support is no longer needed you should:

1. Agree a date that the urgent support will end;
2. Cancel the urgent service being provided;
3. Provide information and advice about ways to reduce, prevent or delay the development of needs in the future;
4. Notify the team responsible for financial assessment (if a financial contribution was being made);
5. Explain to the person what to do if they have needs for support in the future; and
6. Close the case.

If the need for urgent or interim support is likely to extend beyond 7 days the case should be transferred to the relevant Localities Team to continue monitoring and undertake any assessment and Care and Support Planning activity.

The duty to provide good information and advice and to consider ways to prevent, reduce or delay needs for Care and Support applies at all times.

It is vital that you understand your duties in relation to the above. Please use the links below to access further information as required.

• Promoting Individual Wellbeing for information about the duty to promote individual wellbeing;
• Preventing Needs for Care and Support for information about the duty to prevent, reduce or delay needs;
• Providing Information and Advice, which includes access to local and national information and advice resources (general and specialist).