Social care: eligibility criteria and waiting times Scotland 2022-2023

Community care assessment

A series of actions, undertaken jointly as far as possible with the person being assessed, which includes identifying the extent and nature of their needs, and the key outcomes they would like to achieve, the extent to which these may be enabled or met by community care services or support, informing the person and/or carer of the conclusion, and, where appropriate, devising a care plan and arranging services   

Delivery of service (date)

The date by which the services set out in the agreed Care and Support Plan are being delivered to the client. The Delivery of Service date is therefore the first date after confirmation of need on which either personal care at home, or personal and nursing care in a care home, or a Direct Payment/ Self Directed Support provided for personal care needs, commences.                    

First contact (date)

The date on which the potential need for an assessment of social care needs was first notified to the Local Authority, by or on behalf of the client. For clarity, clients are only included in this return if their community care assessment end date or care plan date, is within the monitoring period.                     

New client

Someone who was not receiving services provided or arranged by local authority adult social care services at the time of the contact or referral that triggered the assessment. This does not mean that the person has never been assessed previously or received services in the past. People who receive information or advice or a basic service as a result of screening but without further assessment are excluded from this definition.  

Personal care at home

Includes intermediate care and support (e.g. rapid response, crisis care) but, for the purposes of this measure, excludes: telecare, equipment and adaptations, and nursing services provided by the NHS. Support is given for key tasks such as:

personal hygiene; at mealtimes; immobility problems; medication; and general wellbeing.

Personal care services

Includes personal care at home, personal and nursing care in a care home, or a Direct Payment / Self Directed Support provided for personal care needs.