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Where To Get Help
There are various sources of help available from your local council as well as private and voluntary organisations.
The community section offers ideas on where else to seek help.
Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland
Social work department
- Health & social care assessment
- Financial assessment
- Financial support & benefits
- Carers assessment
- Adaptations in the home
Community
- Alarm systems
- Chronic medication service
- Equipment
- GP surgery
- Help for carers
- Mobile services
- Shopping online
- Transport
- Wheelchairs
- Other services
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Health & social care assessment
Social services can arrange an assessment for you, or the person you care for, to work out what services, if any, are needed. Your local social work department is in the phone book under the name of your Local Council.
Services that are available vary across Scotland and may include:
- Help and advice about personal care e.g. dressing, washing
- Help with housework
- Help with shopping
- Help with meals if unable to cook
- Lunch clubs
- Day care
- Sitter services / care attendants
- Respite care to give your carer a break
- Advice about equipment and housing adaptations
- Advice about transport
- Advice about finding alternative housing options e.g. supported accommodation and care homes
Before the assessment it is worth thinking carefully about the kind of support you need. You may find it useful to keep a diary for a week to record what you think you need help with.
Write down your ideas about things that would help you, or the person you care for, to become more independent e.g. equipment, changes to the home or help with transport.
Also think about the things that you would most like to achieve. These might be:
- Practical things e.g. improving communication difficulties, help with personal care
- Social goals e.g. getting out, meeting new friends
- Emotional support e.g. ways you can reduce stress
Social services should review your situation from time to time to see if anything has changed. You can ask for a review if your situation changes.
Charges for services are means tested and your financial situation may be assessed.
Financial assessment
Social services may charge for support services. A financial assessment will include questions about personal finances to find out how much, if anything, you can afford to pay.
Social services must take into account your ability to pay, though charges for services vary from area to area. If the charge seems unreasonable, you have the right to ask social services for a review.
If you have difficulty in getting an assessment, are refused services that you really need, or feel that a charge is unreasonable, contact the social services customer services section. Their job is to help you sort out the problem or advise you how to ask for a review / make a formal complaint.
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Financial support & benefits
It is important to be sure you are claiming all the benefits that you are entitled to. You can find out more information about what benefits are available from:
- A social worker or a welfare rights officer at your local social work centre
- Benefit Enquiry Tel Line: 0800 882 200 or Email
- Department of Work & Pensions
- Citizen Advice Scotland
- Local Money Advice Centre (see Yellow Pages for details)
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Carers assessment
If the person you care for is eligible for an assessment, and you provide a substantial part of their care, you have a right to a separate assessment of your own needs under the Carers (Recognition and Services) Act 1995.
The Carers Act does not give carers the right to services for themselves. But it does mean that carers can ask for their views, and any needs or difficulties in coping with caring, to be taken into account when deciding what services will be provided for the person needing care.
Some social services departments do offer specific support to carers, but what is available varies from area to area.
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Adaptations in the home
Examples of possible adaptations to the house are: sloping ramps for wheelchair access, rails and handles to help getting up stairs or steps and stair lifts. These are organised by the social work department and may involve assessing your financial situation (means testing) to see if you can contribute to the cost.
Alarm systems
You can get advice about various alarm systems from your district nurse, social work department, housing authority or from private companies depending on what kind of alarm you need.
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Chronic medication service
The Chronic Medication Service (CMS) is an NHS service for patients with a long–term condition. It is available at pharmacies across Scotland. The service is voluntary: if you have a long–term condition, you can choose whether you want to register for it.
The service can help you manage the medicines you take for your condition. Your pharmacist is an expert in medicines and will talk to you regularly to help you get the most benefit from them.
There are 3 parts to the service:
- Reviewing your use of medicines: if you register for the service, your pharmacist will look at how you use your medicines. They will then discuss with you any problems you may have with your medicines and whether you should get a CMS care plan.
- CMS care plan: this plan helps your pharmacist give you more regular care and advice about your medicines. They will give you a copy of your care plan and may also speak to your doctor about it.
- Serial prescriptions: you may be able to get serial prescriptions from your doctor so you can get some medicines on a long-term, repeat prescription. This is different from having a normal repeat prescription.
If you decide to register for the service, you will need to choose a pharmacy where you would like to do this.
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Equipment
Examples include: seating aids for bathing, or using the toilet; kitchen equipment and blocks to raise the height of chairs / beds. Some items will be provided by the social work department / occupational therapist (OT).
Even if you have to buy items yourself you may benefit from the advice of the OT on what is the best for you and where to obtain them. A range of equipment is also available if you:
- Contact your local Disabled Living Centre where you can try things out before buying
- Contact medical supply companies who specialise in this sort of equipment. Look in the yellow pages for contact details
- Contact the CHSS Adviceline for a list of useful company catalogues
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GP surgery
Your GP surgery will have a practice nurse and district nurses who may be able to help. You can make an appointment with the practice nurse yourself, but you will need to ask your GP to refer you to the district nursing service.
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Help for carers
As a carer it is important that you feel supported and able to cope
- Carer's organisations can provide advice, information and support
- Local organisations can provide sitting services
- Contact Befriending Network Scotland to match up with a befriender
- Contact Shared Care Scotland for help with respite care
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Mobile services
Many services can be provided in your own home including:
- Home dentist visits
- Home eye examinations
- Mobile chiropodists
- Mobile hairdressers
Shopping online
Search online for supermarkets that deliver groceries and for store catalogues for aids and equipment.
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Wheelchairs
Wheelchairs are a special provision that are usually funded by the NHS although more complex outdoor and motorised wheelchairs often have to be self–funded. It is important that you are prescribed the correct chair and cushion for your particular needs. If you buy one independently, make sure you and / or your carer can use it. Remember it has to fit through the internal doors of your house and you may have to use ramps.
Contact the British Red Cross (Scotland) to hire wheelchairs and other equipment.
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Transport
Contact your local council offices for information about travel concessions and disabled parking for your area (e.g. the Blue Badge Parking Scheme).
Other services
- Many chemists provide a repeat prescription and pick up service – ask at your GP surgery or chemist
- Organisations and companies that specialise in providing special equipment can be found in the yellow pages
- Private care agencies can provide help at home and nursing care
- Look for local support groups and activities
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