Community Care
Introduction
Community Care in Aberdeen City is provided by Neighbourhood Services and is split into three areas of operation - Joint Future, Provision and Services in Transition.
We have a duty under the NHS and Community Care Act 1990 to assess the needs of people who may require community care and to provide, or arrange for another agency to provide, those services. The aim is to help them to live as independently as possible.
Eligibility and Charges for Services
Eligibility Criteria for Community Care Services are in place within Aberdeen City. These guidelines ensure that people in greatest need and at most risk receive services in a manner that is fair and equitable. Our Charging Policy also covers some areas of non-residential services. Further information on both our and Charging Policy can be found on this website.
If a client has been assessed as requiring community care services, then rather than receiving services provided by the council, they can now obtain the money to buy their own service by receiving Direct Payments.
Direct Payments can be made to an individual as an alternative to community care services or as a combination of services and cash payments.
Duty Team
The Duty Team provides the first point of contact with the Neighbourhood Services Social Work for members of the public and other professionals. The team offers information on services, assessment of service required and a short-term service of advice, practical support and counselling. This is also the first point of contact for Asylum Seekers, victims of racist incidents, clients wishing to read their Social Work records and people under threat of eviction from their home.
Contacts:
Tel: 01224 765220
Email: Duty@aberdeencity.gov.uk
Out of Hours Service
The Out of Hours Service provides an after hours emergency service within Aberdeen, delivering crisis assessment by a home visit or phonecall. Referrals are then passed on to other social work teams and appropriate agencies.
The service is available from:
Monday to Thursday - 4.30 p.m. to midnight
Friday - 4 p.m. to midnight
Weekends, Public Holidays - 8.30 a.m. to midnight
Contacts:
Tel: 01224 693936
Email: OOHS@aberdeencity.gov.uk
Rapid Response Team
The Rapid Response Team is a crisis intervention team that aims to respond to referrals and to arrange short-term care packages within 24 hours. Referrals to the Team are made by an appropriate professional i.e. GPs, Nurses from hospitals and the community or social work staff.
Contacts:
Tel: 01224 558324
Email: RapidResponse@aberdeencity.gov.uk
Community Care is provided for the following clients groups:
- Adults and Young People
- People with Disabilities
- Older People
Services for Adults and Young People
Cover a wide range of service provision, the main areas being:
Mental Health
Community Mental Health Team based at Royal Cornhill Hospital offers social work and care management services to people with mental health problems living in the community in Aberdeen. Social workers in the team spend up to 80% of their time working with multi-disciplinary teams linked to GP practices throughout the city. Within these settings social workers deal with a range of problems including:
- anxiety management
- counselling on sexual abuse
- long term support to people suffering from major mental illness
The Room to Care Scheme based within the team runs supported lodgings, respite care and day support service.
Contact:
Tel: 01224 557734
Royal Cornhill Hospital Social Work Team offers a Social Work and Care Management Service to patients and their relatives. Social Workers are attached to multi-disciplinary teams which are linked to GP practices. These teams cover a variety of areas, including Old Age Psychiatry, and eating disorders. Social Workers liase with the relevant services to ensure that clients receive the necessary support to enable them to live in the community.
Contact:
Tel: 01224 557260
Email: Cornhill@aberdeencity.gov.uk
Royal Cornhill Hospital Resettlement Co-ordinator, based at Cornhill Hospital, works with NHS Grampian in planning and organising ressettlement projects and placements. New projects are planned for older people, people in long-term rehabilitation wards and for people with Huntington's.
Contact:
Tel: 01224 557306
Email: Cornhill@aberdeencity.gov.uk
Single Homelessness
Aberdeen City Council provides short-term accommodation for, Single Homelessness and permanent accommodation for homeless people with care needs.
Glamis Cottage offers permanent accommodation to 15 people (single homeless and/or mental health problems).
Contact:
Tel: 01224 523918
Young People Who Are No Longer Looked After
Young People's Throughcare Team (formerly Support Work Team) offers a support service on a planned and unplanned basis to young people age 14-21 years who are or were "looked after" away from home on or since their 16th birthday. A large element of this service is dealing with homeless and young people in crisis,in addition to focusing on the many challenges both practical and emotional when young people move on to a more independant lifestyle. The Team works co-operatively on a multi agency basis with other Council Departments and Voluntary Organisations, including housing providers via the Moving On Committee.
Contact:
Tel: 01224 635058
Vulnerable Young Peoples Project has been set up to help implement new regulations and guidelines for young people leaving local authority care, and to develop an integrated throughcare and aftercare city service. The council is required to:
- assess the needs of young people leaving care
- take account of their views
- record an action plan
- review the action plan regularly
- provide financial assistance to vulnerable young people
- establish an appeals system for young people
The project offers advice and guidance for:
- young people
- parents
- carers
- city agency staff involved in the care and support of young people
Contact:
Tel: 01224 264089 / 264091
Support Work Team
The Young People's Throughcare Team (formerly Support Work Team) provides support and advice to people requiring practical help to live in the community. Many clients working with the Home Support Workers require long-term support.
Contact:
Tel: 01224 635058
Home Support Work Team
The Home Support Work Team aims to support people in their own homes to develop the practical skills needed to run their own home, such as budgeting, shopping and cooking.
Contact:
Tel (01224) 765103
Email: HomeSupp@aberdeencity.gov.uk
Welfare Rights Team
The Welfare Rights Team offer a specialist advice and representation service to people with complex Welfare Rights problems. The team provides a link with other agencies to provide General Advice Work Services.
Contact:
Tel: 01224 523203 - Advice Line
Tel: 01224 523307 - General Enquiries
Services for People with Disabilities
The range of activities covered within the three Neighbourhoods include:
Care Management Service
Community Learning Disabilities Team provides acute management and health service to adults with learning disabilities.
Tel: 01224 558340
Community Link Work Scheme: a new pilot scheme covering Bridge of Don and Northfield for people with disabilities.
Community Placement Team and Co-Worker Scheme assists adults with disabilities into work, educational opportunities and community placements.
Tel: 01224 649424
Email: CPT@aberdeencity.gov.uk
Day Care for People with Disabilities: short and long term day care for adults with disabilities in a range of settings.Tel: 01224 814522 (Reception)
Day Services Development Officer: develops services to meet the identified day care needs of adults with learning disabilities.
: Occupational Therapists provide a comprehensive service to disabled and older people living the community.
Tel: 01224 558333
Email: Otduty@aberdeencity.gov.uk
Rehabilitation: Horizons Rehabilitation Centre provides short-term rehabilitation services, in conjunction with NHS Grampian, to people with complex disabilities.
Tel: 01224 556873
Email: Horizons@aberdeencity.gov.uk
Residential Accommodation for People with Disabilities: provides a variety of accommodation from a group home to hostels. The homes are flexible in catering for the special needs of people with a disability and the different levels of care they require.
Tel: 01224 814522 (Reception)
Sheltered Employment (): Manufacturing garden furniture and concrete products. Provides work preparation to adults with disabilities.
Tel: 01224 725479
Support to Voluntary Organisations: Senior staff provide advice and support to a large number of voluntary organisations providing services to disabled people.
Workstep Scheme: support, monitoring and review of adults assessed by Employment Services as suitable for the scheme. For further information contact the Community Placement Team at:
Tel: 01224 649424
Email: CPT@aberdeencity.gov.uk
Services for Older People
Community Care provides a wide range of services to support older people and their families to enable them to stay for as long as possible in their own homes.
Community Alarm provides 24-hour emergency cover enabling those who are considered to be medically at risk to raise the alarm and call for immediate assistance from specified contacts.
Tel: 01224 264234
Community Meals previously known as Meals on Wheels, the meals are provided for people who are elderly or disabled. Each meal consists of two courses with special diets being catered for.
Tel: 01224 264123
Email: CommunityMeals@aberdeencity.gov.uk
Day Care for Older People provides short and long term day care for older people. All the centres offer a range of opportunities to help older people increase their independence.
Tel: 01224 814522
Care at Home Services: aims to enable individuals to live independently in their own homes by providing the back-up support they require. The help provided is tailored to individual needs and can include a variety of tasks, including personal care and practical help.
Tel: 01224 264264
Email: HomeCare@aberdeencity.gov.uk
Residential Homes for Older People caters for the special needs of older people and the different levels of care they require. Personal care is provided by trained staff and a wide range of social activities and services are available.
Tel: 01224 522785
For more information please go to the Thinking about moving into a care home? section at the bottom of this page.
Warden Service (Sheltered Housing) designed to allow elderly people, of a pensionable age, to continue to live full and independent lives in their own homes for as long as possible. The service is provided by Housing.
Tel: 01224 261000
Age Concern
Age Concern runs a counselling and advice service in Aberdeen for older people, their relatives and friends. The service is free of charge, impartial and confidential. For more information, visit them here at http://www.ageadvice.org.uk
Thinking about moving into a care home?
The Scottish Executive has produced some information for those who are thinking about moving into a care home. It offers guidance on choosing a home and explains about fees and payments. It also provides advice on your right to choose where you live, and information on legislation concerning care homes. You can read the guidance online on the Scottish Government website or by viewing or downloading the pdf version of the document from the Scottish Government website. The document can also be downloaded from: Thinking About Moving Into A Care Home?
Please note the information is valid only in Scotland.
