Assessment of Older People's Health and Social Care Needs and ...

also emphasised that screening tools and policies alone will not meet the needs of older people. Theyare subsidiary to appropriate training, appropriate philosophy incorporated into everyday practice andthe availability of adequate services to meet the needs of older people.Third Session: Current InitiativesIn her presentation, Ber Power outlined the work undertaken in the Kerry Community Care area ofthe Southern Health Board in the development of a standardised approach to the assessment of olderpeople's needs and preferences. The approach to assessment is developing within the frameworkprovided by the board's 'Ageing with Care' strategy and comprises a system of procedures whichform a continuum from initial assessment through to specialist assessment and assessment by agecare evaluation team.The North Eastern Health Board has, Antoinette Doocey said, developed a five-year strategy for thedelivery of health and social services to older people, 'Healthy Ageing - A Secure Future'. Thisstrategy is providing the framework for the development of instruments to assess older people'sneeds and preferences. The health board's view is that in the absence of such a framework,assessment will be carried out on a piecemeal basis. Having examined other models, it has identifiedthe UK single assessment approach as one to which it can refer in developing its own process. Acommitment to ongoing change management is seen by the NEHB as central to the successfuldevelopment of a standardised approach to assessment.The single assessment process in the UK was described by Dr. Chris Dunstan. Ideally, its keyattributes are that the process is person-centred and standardised, duplication is avoided, clients areassessed to the correct level with triggers to further assessment as required, and the process isoutcome-centred. The approach comprises a number of components. The client's basic data arecollated and available to all professionals who need them. There is then a contact assessment on thebasis of which a decision is made about the client's needs. If these include an overview, specialist orcomprehensive assessment, the client is referred to whichever is appropriate. The implications forprofessionals of the single assessment process were also outlined. These include:• understanding the person-centred values underpinning the process• knowledge about the different types of assessment• structuring information for sharing with other professionals• acceptance of the need for culture change, supported by training.One of the elements of culture change specified in this presentation is the need for professionals toaim for joint ownership of information to meet the needs of clients. Individualised concerns aboutownership of parts of the information and the processes that comprise an overall assessmentapproach are barriers to effective joint working between all concerned.Assessment of Older People's Health and Social Care Needs and Preferences