Background

Increased demands on NHS and social care services are expected from people’s rising expectations and an ageing population. There is a wealth of evidence that increased numbers of disabled people, people with long-term medical conditions and physical frailty due to the ageing process, are all living longer. Many will need health and social care support. All will expect and demand a more personalised approach to the advice, support and services that should be available to help meet their particular needs and allow them to continue to live good quality, independent lives.

At the same time, people have told us of being increasingly irritated at being asked for the same information by different organisations, and their growing expectation that all those involved in their support arrangements will share relevant information.

Ensuring the security of people's information and making sure that consent is understood and recorded need to underpin any sharing of personal information. All organisations need to respond to these challenges; including Central Government, the NHS, social care services and those providing other support services across the wider council and the private and voluntary sector.

The consultation seeks views and consensus on the development of a Common Assessment Framework for Adults and makes proposals on:

• the principles which should inform assessment care planning and support based on a personalised and person-centred approach
• how best to fit information sharing into developing assessment and care / support planning arrangements
• the basis of a shared set of information
• mechanisms to hold and share information between electronic care records across the NHS, social services and subsequently other organisations involved in care and support.