To ask the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail the process, within the Northern Health and Social Care Trust, by which a Social Worker assesses and determines the care needs of individuals; and for his assessment of the efficiency of administering these assessments.

When an individual is referred to a Health and Social Care Trust for an assessment of care needs, this is undertaken by a social worker to determine the nature and extent of those needs.

Every assessment is based on the individual’s needs and circumstances and length of assessment can vary depending on complexity.

Assessments of needs are undertaken in consultation with the service user, other professionals who may have information to contribute to the process and other family members who may be involved in meeting the individuals care needs.

To assist the determination of the level of need and how they can best be met, social workers may use specialist assessment tools. Ultimately a social worker exercises a professional judgement based on all information gathered and their professional knowledge and experience to assess an individual’s needs and how those needs can best be met.

Information gathered for the purposes of assessment is recorded in established regional formats for NISAT and UNOCINI or other specialist assessment frameworks dependent upon the needs of the individual.

The development of electronic formats for UNOCINI and NISAT is intended to deliver improved efficiency in assessment practice in the future.