Commentary on Sections Next steps after assessments Section 27 – Review of care and support plan or of support plan
190.This section requires the local authority to ensure the care and support plan (or support plan) remains an accurate, up-to-date reflection of the person’s needs and the outcomes they wish to achieve and the services arranged to meet these needs and outcomes. This section applies to care and support plans for adults needing care and support, and support plans for carers. The local authority must review the plan on a reasonable request by the adult to whom it relates.
191.Subsection (2) states that the local authority may revise the care and support plan, and when doing so must have regard to the outcomes the individual identified in the assessment and other relevant matters identified in the assessment and listed in section 9(4). When revising the plan the local authority must involve the adult, any carer they may have, and anyone else the adult may ask to be involved. Where a person lacks capacity the local authority must also involve any person who appears to be interested in the individual’s welfare. Subsection (3) places similar requirements on the local authority when reviewing a carer’s support plan.
192.Subsection (4) states that where the local authority is satisfied that the person’s circumstances, for example their needs or finances, have changed in a way that affects their care and support plan or support plan, the local authority must, where it thinks appropriate, carry out a new needs or carers assessment, and a new financial assessment (or both) and consider whether the person’s needs meet the eligibility criteria. The local authority must then revise the care and support plan or support plan as appropriate. This will ensure that the individual’s care and support package, and the level to which the local authority contributes to it are up-to-date and in line with the outcomes of the care and support plan review.
193.Subsection (5) states that, as with the care and support plan in section 25, the local authority must involve the user of care services and carer and take all reasonable steps to reach agreement with the person for whom the plan is being prepared if there is to be a change in how the person’s needs are met.