Specialist advice service My Care Consultant is supporting advisers who operate in the social care arena by providing up to date information on Covid-19’s impact free of charge.
This comes after the government has relaxed the rules governing care services provided by local authorities.
My Care Consultant runs a subscription based service called Care Box which provides technical resources for advisers on care related topics, including services which have been affected by the coronavirus crisis.
The firm has now made its section on coronavirus free for all advisers so they can help their clients plan and allocate the correct funds to pay for care services in the long-term.
Care Box contains tools, information and support on care-related topics and care funding.
Anthony Miles, technical and operations director at My Care Consultant, said: “None of us at Care Box feel it is appropriate in the current environment to restrict this particular area to those advisers who subscribe to Care Box so we have made the coronavirus section free to all.
“[Any] changes will have a significant impact on those in need of care and those seeking to help them secure the care to which they are entitled.”
This week (March 31), the government introduced regulations as part of the Coronavirus Act 2020 to give local authorities the power to temporarily suspend key parts of the Care Act 2014.
Local authorities will no longer have to carry out detailed assessments of people’s care and support needs in compliance with pre-amendment Care Act requirements and will also not have to carry out any financial assessments.
They will also not have to prepare or review care and support plans.
Instead new powers will enable councils to prioritise the most pressing needs, for example enhanced support for people who are ill or self-isolating, and they can temporarily delay or reduce other care provisions to provide this.
The government said councils should only take advantage of these relaxed rules if their workforce is significantly depleted or demand on social care services has increased so they are no longer able to meet their normal care duties.
These measures are temporary and the government said it will terminate them as soon as possible.
amy.austin@ft.com
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