The HomeCareDirect System

• Places a HomeCareDirect electronic care support box, connected to the telephone, in the home of every client.

• Enables clients to choose their own local personal carers/assistants from people often previously known to them, including acquaintances, friends and family to provide support for them at home. This can sometimes include family being paid through HomeCareDirect who live in the same house where a specific support need can be demonstrated .

• Should a client or family not be aware of local people who could provide their care, then HomeCareDirect will work with the client to seek to identify local professional carers for the client and/or family to meet and interview. Such professional personal carers may already be on the HomeCareDirect carer register.

• HomeCareDirect provides the personal carer training to meet individual client needs.

• Uses the funding from Social Services called 'direct payments', paid to clients, to pay the personal carers selected. The HomeCareDirect system can equally be privately funded.

• A HomeCareDirect case manager, will visit the client in hospital or at home, undertake an initial support needs assessment, and help with the commencement of care.

• The HomeCareDirect system is funded via an initial Social Services 'care needs assessment', but is an alternative to day-to-day care actually organised by Social Services.