Home First and reablement services

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What are reablement services?

They provide a short, focused period of support designed to help you re-gain or re-learn the abilities you might have lost. This could be following a stay in hospital or a setback at home. Instead of doing things for you, the service will work with you, helping identify realistic and achievable goals to help you become more independent.

A reablement plan will be developed between you and a Social Care Professional. You will work with them on both your short and long term goals so you can hopefully regain your independence. This could include, for example, a new piece of mobility equipment or re-gaining living skills.

Reablement Support Workers will help and assist you towards these goals by supporting you with daily living activities such as washing, dressing, toileting, meal preparation, eating, drinking and any other support required to reach your reablement goals.

Who is eligible for reablement services? 

• Be over 18 years of age and live within Suffolk.
• A Health or Social Care Professional has made the referral for someone who could benefit from a short-term reablement service.
• The person is willing to participate in the reablement journey.

How long will I receive reablement and how much does it cost?

Reablement can last for a few days, a few weeks, but no longer than six weeks. The reablement period is non-chargeable, as soon as this period has ended, charges may apply. For some people, it may become evident within the first week that they have achieved the maximum independence possible within the reablement period; for others it may be longer. When the reablement period is over, if longer term needs have been identified, the reablement service would continue to support you until a long-term provision has been found. This may be chargeable depending on the outcome of a financial assessment, which your Social Care Professional will discuss with you.

If you go into hospital for more than 24 hours part way through your reablement period, you can still have a reablement service, but it may be with a different provider post-hospital due to changes in their capacity.

Who will provide my service?

Primarily, Suffolk County Council’s Home First service provides reablement for the whole of Suffolk. They are a specialist service with dedicated staff called Reablement Support Workers, who will support you in your reablement journey. They are also the service that will carry out your reablement assessment with you to identify your goals.

If your service is not provided by Home First, it will be by one of our reablement provider partners who have direct contact with your Home First Social Care Professional, who will work with you and the provider on your reablement goals.

Unfortunately, there are occasions where both Home First and their partner providers don’t have enough capacity to take people through their reablement period. In these cases, the support would go directly to a council-commissioned Care Provider. We would still look to assign a reablement Social Care Professional to help support you with a short-term reablement plan and to work towards your reablement goals.

What happens after my reablement period?

Due to reablement being a specialist short-term provision, Home First and its partners can’t carry on care longer term. If, after your reablement period, you still require care, and this was to be provided via the Council, a provider will be found for you. Home First and their partners would still ensure you had care and support post-reablement until your new long-term provider could take over your care.

Visits 

Visit times during your reablement will vary but generally will be between the following times, depending on the goals set to achieve your independence:

• Morning: 7am to 11am
• Lunch: 11am to 3pm
• Tea: 3pm to 7pm
• Night: 7pm to 10:30pm

Staff visiting you will always carry their ID badge on every visit.

Some things we need from you 

We are here to support you to regain your independence. We ask that you engage in the reablement process, that you do not smoke, drink alcohol or take illicit drugs during the visit. All pets should be kept in a separate room while staff carry out the visit. We also ask that you are respectful to our staff. We do not tolerate any violence, abuse, discrimination, harassment, or threats directed at our staff. If staff experience this, they will leave the property immediately.

Home First CQC inspections

Please see below the latest CQC inspections for the three Home First teams.

Home First Ipswich & East Suffolk

Home First Waveney

Home First West Suffolk 

Useful information

Suffolk InfoLink is Suffolk County Council’s website of community organisations, health and care information, housing, money, transport and learning advice.

Customer First is for all social care advice and referrals. It’s normally quicker to contact them via webchat on the Customer First page. They can also be contacted on: 0808 800 4005 or by email: customer.first@suffolk.gov.uk

The Care Quality Commission monitor, inspect, and regulate health and social care services. We are regularly inspected by them; all the results are published online. They can also be contacted on: 0300 061 6161.

The Care Coordination Centre is a contact centre that provides 24/7 support for patients and referrers across Suffolk. The team offer short-term rehabilitation as well as equipment and care which could help going to hospital. They can also can be contacted on: 0300 123 2425.