Presentation giving information and advice on the Care Act, covering duty on local authorities. Presented by Carl Evans from the Department of Health at the Adult Social Care Signposting Discovery Day held on 2 March 2015 in London.

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Information and Advice:
Care Act 2014
Carl Evans DH
Adult Social Care Discovery Day: 2 March 2015

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Existing legislation related to LA duty to
provide information and advice
• Section 1 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act
1970 http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1970/44
• The Local Government and Public Involvement in Health
Act 2007 (as amended by the Health and Social Care Act
2012). Statutory Guidance was published in March 2013
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/at
tachment_data/file/223842/Statutory-Guidance-on-Joint-
Strategic-Needs-Assessments-and-Joint-Health-and-
Wellbeing-Strategies-March-2013.pdf
2

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Care Act duty on local authorities
• Section 4 of the Care Act places a duty on local authorities to ensure
the availability of information and advice services for all people in its
area, regardless of whether or not they have eligible care needs
• Local authorities do not have to provide all elements of this service
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What needs to be provided?
• Information about how the local care and support system
works
• How people can access care and support services
• What types of care and support are available
• Financial information and advice, including how to access
independent financial advice
• How to raise concerns about the safety or wellbeing of
someone who has care and support needs
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Is there a change in emphasis?
• Whole population
• Working with partners
• Financial aspects
• Accessible
• Proportionate
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Local planning/strategies (1)
• Each local authority will need to develop and implement an information
and advice strategy or plan that matches their circumstances and meets
the needs of its population.
• Authorities should lead coordination with other statutory bodies with an
interest in care and support, including local Clinical Commissioning
Groups, Health and Wellbeing Boards, local Healthwatch and
neighbouring local authorities.
• Authorities should consider the persons and/or places most likely to
come into contact with people in need of information and advice at these
and other critical points in the person’s care and support journey.
• Authorities should consider whether independent sources of information
and advice may in some circumstances be more trusted – and therefore
more effective – than the local authority itself
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Local planning/strategies (2)
• In addition or instead of direct provision, local authorities should consider
whether it is in a person’s best interests that they be signposted, directed
or referred to independent sources of information and advice.
• A local authority plan should therefore allow for the urgent provision of
information and advice to support people to make important decisions at
times of crisis.
• Local authorities should work with health organisations and other
partners to provide targeted information and advice to people in these
critical situations and where people have long-term health conditions
such as dementia
• Where appropriate, local authorities should signpost or refer people to
national sources of information and advice where these are recognised
as the most useful source 7

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More information:
Care Act 2014:
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2014/23/section/9/enacted
Statutory Guidance:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/care-act-2014-statutory-
guidance-for-implementation
Skills for care
http://www.skillsforcare.org.uk/Standards/Care-Act/Learning-and-
development/Information-and-advice.aspx
TLAP
http://www.thinklocalactpersonal.org.uk/Browse/Informationandadvice/