Care Homes Social Work Team
Adult Social Care in the Manchester Local Care Organization (MLCO) work in partnership with the established teams and services to provide reviews of citizens whose care is delivered within a Care Home setting within and outside of Manchester’s boundaries.
Placements in care home settings are often planned interventions of care where health and/or frailty have declined to the point where the risks of independent living are no longer a manageable set of circumstances, and it would not be safe to allow an individual to live independently.
The Care Homes team is a citywide service and provides accommodation, personal care and support to people who need extra help in their activities of daily living. Personal care may include help with washing, bathing, dressing, going to the toilet, taking medications, eating etc.
The team supports Manchester residents, their families and loved ones, and Care Homes.
When a person has been placed in Care the social worker making the placement will review the care arrangement within 6 weeks to ensure that the placement is meeting all of the identified assessed health and social care needs.
If changes or improvements are identified at this review these will be implemented through that process following which a 12-month review will be scheduled and the Social Worker will transfer the case to the City Wide Review Team.
The City Wide Review Team will be the contact point for the Care Home, Citizens, their Family and friends and other concerned parties such as nursing staff or partner agencies who may wish to bring forward a review or attend the scheduled annual review.
The Citywide Care Homes Team works collaboratively with Health partners in the ICB (Integrated Care Board) to review Continuing Health Care Funding, Fast Tracks and Step Up or Down in Nursing needs and declining or improving Health Care.
We work with Manchester’s Commissioners and Performance Quality and Improvement, CQC (Care Quality Commission) to ensure that care is delivered to a standard that Commissioners and Health and Social Care expect as part of its continuous improvement plan for residents of the city and its care market.
A care home setting may be the best option for someone if:
1. They are struggling to live alone – even with the support of Technology Enabled Care, friends, relatives and or paid carers
2. Has a needs assessment or best interest meeting that identifies a care home as the best option of managing, maintaining their health and wellbeing.
3. Has complex medical conditions that require help and support during the day or night
Care Homes have a Duty of Care which is a legal obligation for staff and the home to:
1. Always act in the best interest of the individuals and others they care for
2. Not act or fail to act in a way that results in an avoidable harm
3. Act with competence and not take on anything that they do not believe they can do safely
Moving into a 24-hour care setting is a big decision and social workers, and health professionals will work with the citizen, their family and other interested parties to ensure that this decision is in the best interest of the citizen.
The Care Homes team consists of:
- 1 Team manager
- 1 Senior Social Worker
- 8 Social Workers
An example of the service in action is ‘Sam’.
Sam lived alone with multiple health conditions which were poorly managed in the community and resulted in numerous hospital admissions. The care, routine and treatment support he received within the care setting over a period of eight months enabled him to recover to a point where he believed, with care and support in the community, he could live independently.
The review was brought forward, and he and his family were fully consulted. This resulted in extra care housing with an augmented package of care, TEC (Technology Enabled Care) and District Nursing support that ultimately allowed for his transfer from the care home into his own adapted property.
The Team operates between the hours of 8:30am to 4.30pm, Monday to Friday.
Contact Duty Team Email: cwcht@manchester.gov.uk
Duty Line: 0161 234 5316
For contact outside of working hours, please contact Manchester Contact Centre 0161 234 5001 or email at mscreply@manchester.gov.uk
The cared-for person needs to be a Manchester resident and:
- Over 18 years old
- In a CQC registered Care Home Setting
Referrals can be sent to Email: cwcht@manchester.gov.uk
The team also accept referrals via the City Council’s Contact Centre (open 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year) contactable via:
Phone: 0161 234 5001
Email: mcsreply@manchester.gov.uk