Lanarkshire Carers Adult Carer Support Plan Partnership Statement

Lanarkshire Carers has been commissioned by Lanarkshire’s two health and social care partnerships to support the completion of Adult Carer Support Plans across Lanarkshire. Adult Carers Support Plans replaced carers assessments when the Carers (Scotland) Act 2016 was implemented. Our joint approach and vision ensures that a consistent and expert service is available to carers throughout Lanarkshire. 

An Adult Carer Support Plan helps to establish and record an adult carer’s: 

• Identified personal outcomes
• Identified need (if any)
• Support (if any) to be provided to meet identified needs 

The duty to offer and to produce Adult Carer Support Plans lies with Health and Social Care North Lanarkshire (HSCNL) and South Lanarkshire Health and Social Care Partnership (SLHSCP), both of whom have delegated responsibility to Lanarkshire Carers to support completion of Adult Carer Support Plans in specific circumstances. This forms part of the overall responsibilities of Lanarkshire Carers as the only organisation commissioned to provide information, advice and a range of direct support services free of charge for all carers across Lanarkshire.  

Carer Support Workers from Lanarkshire Carers engage in good conversations with carers and discuss the impact of their caring roles. Individual outcomes are identified in partnership with the carer during the series of discussions aimed at meeting the needs that they identify. Having these conversations allows carers to determine their own support needs and think about how they might maintain a life out with their caring responsibilities. When a carer’s needs are identified as low or moderate, these conversations and the desired outcomes are recorded in an Adult Carer Support Plan by Lanarkshire Carers. When a carer’s needs are thought to be substantial or critical, responsibility to complete the ASCP falls to the local authority.  

Fiona Diffin, Carer Services Assistant Manager, Lanarkshire Carers, said: “Part of this commissioned service is for Lanarkshire Carers to deliver Adult Carer Support Plans where need is known to be, or likely to be, low to moderate. Lanarkshire Carers works with and for carers to make a positive difference to their lives. Our expertise enables partnership with social work teams, referring to them when the carer’s needs are known to be, or are likely to be critical and substantial. This helps ensure carers get the right support at the right time. 

We are a carer led organisation that has been operating across Lanarkshire since 1995 and we have an acute understanding of the challenges faced by many carers. This agreement with the two health and social care partnerships means that, between us, we are well placed to meet the needs of local carers.” 

Social Work will also come into direct contact with carers through the services they provide whose pathway has not included Lanarkshire Carers. When the carer’s needs are critical and substantial, the appropriate social work team will be responsible for producing the Adult Carer Support Plan. An outcome from an Adult Carer Support Plan led by Social Work can include a referral to Lanarkshire Carers to access the services they provide. 

Diane Fraser, head of Adult Social Work, Health & Social Care North Lanarkshire, said: “This agreement between both partnerships and Lanarkshire Carers is testament to the strong working relationships already established between all three organisations. This is excellent news for adult carers across North Lanarkshire, and Lanarkshire as a whole. It means that adult carers will have their views and needs recorded and plans put in place to support them in the ways they want to be supported.” 

Ian Beattie, Head of Health and Social Care, South Lanarkshire Health and Social Care Partnership, said: “This is a fantastic development for carers as well as staff from all three organisations.  It is especially valuable for staff as it defines the mutual understanding and expectations between partners to ensure the effective delivery of Adult Carer Support Plans for adult carers across Lanarkshire”. The real beauty for our teams is that the roles, responsibilities and boundaries of all partners will be defined and agreed. The agreement will also provide a staff information and awareness raising tool and ensure that carers have access to accurate information and are signposted and referred appropriately.” 

All adult carers have a right to an Adult Carer Support Plan which Scotland’s local authorities must offer to anyone they identify as an unpaid carer, or any unpaid carer that requests one. 

All adult carers are entitled to an Adult Carer Support Plan and support from Lanarkshire Carers, whether they meet the local eligibility criteria for support from the Local Authority or not. 

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