Sources of evidence

• General
• Secondary Alcohol Team
• NHS Care Programme Approach (CPA) care plan
• Social Services Care Plan
• Social Worker
• Accommodation Manager
• Crisis Resolution Team
• General Practitioner report

General

Self-assessment is the prime source of evidence, but the claim pack should be checked to see who has completed it. If the form has been filled in by the customer, due to the nature of their condition, it might not necessarily be an accurate or reliable description of their problems.

If the claim pack has been completed on behalf of the customer, by someone who has a good understanding of his or her needs, then it could provide good evidence.

The DM should bear in mind that the completion of the corroborative statement by a Health Care Professional (HCP) does not necessarily mean that they endorse what has been said in the claim pack.

In all cases of severe illness it is highly probable that a consultant psychiatrist and/or physician will have been involved in the management and treatment of the individual. Indeed the absence of any documented history of a psychiatric or hospital medical consultation should raise doubts about the nature and/or severity of the given diagnosis. Hospital factual reports should therefore be obtained if required.

An HCP examination report may be helpful if the person has physical problems

Other sources of information include the following:

Secondary Alcohol Team

When the claimant is being supported by a Secondary Alcohol Team the care co-ordinator on that team will be the preferred source of further evidence.

They have lead responsibility for the delivery of the care plan and so they can give details of the support that the claimant has been assessed as needing. They will also know whether the claimant is being helped by an Assertive Outreach or Crisis Resolution team.

NHS Care Programme Approach (CPA) care plan

When the claimant is in contact with mental health services there will be a care plan under the NHS Care Programme Approach. The care plan will include information on health and social care as well as domestic support and is reviewed regularly.

The claimant is given their own copy, which could be requested, as it will contain useful evidence of needs.

Social Services care plan

Social Services departments may be involved. A community care assessment by a social worker/care manager will be arranged and a care plan produced.

The care plan will include details of the customer’s day-to-day living and the support provided. A copy can be obtained from the customer.

Social Worker

Where a social worker has been appointed to support a claimant they will have information about the customer’s ability to cope with everyday living.

Subject to consent to approach them being given, the social worker will be able to provide some useful evidence about the customer’s needs.

Accommodation manager

When the claimant is living in supported accommodation then the type and level of support provided could be helpful in determining their need for help.

A phone call to the accommodation manager could provide useful evidence.

Crisis Resolution Team

The claimant may have been supported during a crisis by the Crisis Resolution Team. The teams are mainly comprised of CPNs, who would make urgent visits, day or night to anyone who is thought to be in need of hospitalisation.

The idea is to provide intensive treatment at home instead. The Crisis Resolution Team would be well placed to provide details of the customer’s condition.

General practitioner factual report

If there is no specialist health professional involvement or evidence cannot be obtained from them, then it may be necessary to request a factual report from the customer’s own doctor.

The GP may have only limited knowledge of customer’s health problems, even when there is no one else involved.

However, if the person has chronic physical or psychiatric complications, the GP may be well placed to provide a report regarding these.

Amended April 2008