A Mid-Essex care Trust has smashed Government targets by getting a waiting list for assessments down to zero.
The Witham, Braintree and Halstead Care Trust has reorganised the way it carries out care assessments on the elderly and now people are being contacted the same day a request comes in.
The Government has said by October next year any elderly person needing a community care assessment should get a response within 48 hours and be seen within five days.
In July last year, the Trust then still a primary care group had 170 people waiting to be contacted but organisational changes have turned that around.
Linda Proctor, team manager of the assessment team for older people, said: "The restructuring certainly seems to be working well. On average, we receive about 150 assessment requests a month.
"We are now able to make contact with people within 48 hours and allocate them a care worker. Depending on the urgency of the situation we can arrange an assessment straight away."
Published Thursday, January 23, 2003
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