Decision details

Changes in Charging and Deferred Payment Policies

Decision Maker: Cabinet

Decision status: Recommendations Approved

Is Key decision?: Yes

Is subject to call in?: Yes

Purpose:

Adult Social Care & Safeguarding (ASC&SG) and Adult and Children's Financial Services (ACFS) have agreed a new financial assessment pathway to deliver digitalisation and the transformation of ACFS. To deliver this, changes to the Council’s charging policy and associated practice are needed from SLT before progressing to corporate/Council level and potentially public consultation.

Decisions:

Alan White Image

“As a county council we want to be as open as possible when it comes to how much people pay towards the care they receive.  The redesign of how we carry out financial assessments has demonstrated a need for changes to improve their efficiency, consistency and transparency. 

 

We want to simplify our charging process, so people know how much they are likely to pay before a full financial assessment is completed, and are charged based on the annual cost of their care.”

 

Alan White, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Health, Care and Wellbeing

 

Reasons for the Decision – To consider the proposed policy changes to adult social care financial assessments which aim to streamline and clarify the process whereby people are assessed to pay towards the cost of their care, in line with the Council’s ambition to provide more services online.

 

Decision – (a) That the changes to the new Adult Social Care Contributions Policy (as set out in Appendix A to the report) be noted.

 

(b) That the changes to the Deferred Payment Agreement Policy (as set out in Appendix B to the report) be noted.

 

(c) That the Adult Social Care Contributions Policy, to replace the existing Charging Policy, and the revised Deferred Payment Agreements Policy (both set out in Appendix C to the report) be approved.

 

(d) That the ASC Policy & Guidance Approval Board be authorised to deal with appeals and associated policy interpretation plus any debts relating to delayed invoices.

 

(e) That the management and performance management arrangements for adult social care financial assessments be noted.

 

(f) That the responsibility to review care fees and charges annually up to the “actual cost” of care be delegated to the Director for Health and Care.

Report author: Kevin Balchin

Publication date: 21/02/2019

Date of decision: 20/02/2019

Decided at meeting: 20/02/2019 - Cabinet

Effective from: 27/02/2019

Accompanying Documents: