If you have a care assessment, this page contains some useful information about the way that your assessment is conducted.  The single assessment process aims to make sure that people's care needs are assessed thoroughly and accurately, but without procedures being needlessly duplicated by different agencies.  Locally, the single assessment process is referred to as the Shared Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Assessment Process (SNAP).

Staff in health and social care are working together to improve:

• The way we find out about the help you need
• How the information you give is recorded
• How this information is shared when necessary.

What happens at an assessment?

Health and social care staff will talk with you to gather information about you and the help you need.  This is called an assessment.  

There are two levels of assessment, depending on how complex your needs are.

• Level One (if you have basic needs) - Contact Assessment

You will be asked for basic information, including your name, address and date of birth, to help us identify any services you need.

• Level Two (if you have complex needs) - Overview Assessment

We will talk with you in more depth about many aspects of your life and your situation.  The sorts of things we may discuss with you include:

• What you can and cannot do for yourself
• Your health
• Your social life.

You do not have to talk about all the areas that we ask about.  However, we are better able to assess your needs if we have a full picture of you and your situation.

Sometimes, with your permission, we may need to collect information from other people who know you, such as members of your family or other health and social care staff.

If you have a carer, their views can also be included.

What happens next?

Following the assessment, your assessor will discuss with you which services are available to meet your needs.  The assessor will also explain any choices you may have about how these services are delivered.

What happens to the information you give us?

Health and social care staff all record the information you give on your SNAP record in the same way.  Usually you will be given or sent a copy of your SNAP record to keep.  

Please keep your SNAP record in a safe place.  If you go to hospital to attend an appointment or if you are admitted into hospital, it would be useful to take your SNAP record with you.

If you need help in the future from health or social care staff, please let them know that you have already had an assessment.

The information on your SNAP record can be shared between other health and social care staff.  You will be asked to sign your SNAP record to say whether or not you agree to it being shared.  We hope that, by sharing information, you won’t be asked to provide the same information lots of times to different professionals.

If you do not receive a copy of your SNAP record, you still have the right to ask to see the information recorded about you.  To request this, or if you want to know more about how we share the information you give us, talk to the person who does the assessment.