on_call service & general criteria

Every resident has an individual written agreement setting out the terms and conditions with the home. Criteria

1. Each resident is provided with an individual written agreement that sets out the terms of their residency. This agreement is made available in a format and language suitable for the resident as required. The agreement is provided in advance of the placement, except in the case of unplanned admissions where it is provided within five working days of the admission.

2. As a minimum, the agreement sets out: The date of admission and duration of stay (if known); The accommodation, services and facilities provided by the home (these are the general services and facilities agreed as part of the contracting arrangements with the HSC Trust); What the individual can reasonably expect in terms of care and treatment; The weekly fee (including any third party top-up charge); An accurate and transparent itemised list of all agreed services and facilities over and above the general services and facilities; The individual charges for all the agreed itemised services and facilities; the rationale for such additional charges; arrangements for the payment of all agreed charges; and the minimum period of notice for any change to the charges; The arrangements for any financial transactions undertaken on behalf of the resident by the home and the records to be kept (including, where appropriate, the details of any appointee and the records to be kept of this appointment); The general terms and conditions of residency with reference to any of the home’s relevant policies; 18 The arrangements for the management of the resident’s valuables – including insurance arrangements; How the resident will be supported to be involved in the daily life of the home; A copy of the complaints procedure; Signposting to independent advocacy services; The arrangements for regularly reviewing the signed agreement and the circumstances when the agreement can be reviewed outside these arrangements; The frequency of summary reports for persons staying for respite and rehabilitative care; and The notice period for terminating the agreement.

3. The agreement should be in place before admission. Where this is not possible, it must be in place within five working days of the date of admission. For residents admitted to the home on an unplanned basis, the agreement must be signed within two weeks of admission.

4. The terms and conditions of the agreement are in line with and do not contradict or attempt to override the content of the Trusts’ regional contract for Trust-managed residents.

5. The resident (or their representative) and the Registered Person sign the agreement prior to, or within five days of, admission. Where the resident or their representative is unable or chooses not to sign, this is recorded. Neither the Registered Person nor any staff member acting as an appointee or agent on behalf of a resident may sign the written agreement on the resident’s behalf.

6. The resident, their representative and (in the case of Trust-managed residents) the Trust (in accordance with local arrangements) are given written notice of all changes to the agreement and these are agreed in writing. Where the resident is unable to sign or chooses not to, this is recorded. 19

7. A minimum of four weeks’ notice is given for the introduction of new charges, together with a statement setting out the rationale for such an increase.

8. Any changes to the individual agreement are agreed in writing by the resident or their representative. The individual agreement is updated to reflect any increases in charges payable. Where the resident or their representative is unable to or chooses not to sign the revised agreement, this is recorded.

9. Charges are levied in accordance with current DHSSPS guidelines on the care assessment process1 .