§ Mr. HinchliffeTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance she has issued regarding assessments for community care needs being undertaken by social workers employed by voluntary organisations(a) where the organisation concerned is a direct provider of care and (b) where the organisation concerned is not a direct provider of care; and if she will make a statement.
§ Mr. YeoThe guidance we have issued has made clear that voluntary organisations, whether direct care providers or not, may have a role in providing expert advice in assessments. It may also be appropriate in some cases for social services authorities to make arrangements with such organisations to carry out assessments of people with specialist needs on their behalf. In all cases overall responsibility for decisions about service provision remains with the social services authority.