Adult Social Care Glossary, v 0.6

(5) A local authority may combine a needs or carer's assessment with an assessment it is carrying out (whether or not under this Part) in relation to another person only if the adult to whom the needs or carer's assessment relates agrees and—
(a) where the combination would include an assessment relating to another adult, that other adult agrees;
(b) where the combination would include an assessment relating to a child (including a young carer), the consent condition is met in relation to the child.

(6) The consent condition is met in relation to a child if—
(a) the child has capacity or is competent to agree to the assessments being combined and does so agree, or
(b) the child lacks capacity or is not competent so to agree but the local authority is satisfied that combining the assessments would be in the child's best interests.

6.3 An ‘assessment’ must always be appropriate and proportionate. It may come in different formats and can be carried out in various ways, including but not limited to:

- a face-to-face assessment between the person and an assessor, whose professional role and qualifications may vary depending on the circumstances, but who must always be appropriately trained and have the right skills and knowledge
- a supported self-assessment, which should use similar assessment materials as used in other forms of needs or carers’ assessments, but where the person completes the assessment themselves and the local authority assures itself that it is an accurate reflection of the person’s needs (for example, by consulting with other relevant professionals and people who know the person with their consent)
- an online or phone assessment, which can be a proportionate way of carrying out assessments (for example where the person’s needs are less complex or where the person is already known to the local authority and it is carrying out an assessment following a change in their needs or circumstances)
- a joint assessment, where relevant agencies work together to avoid the person undergoing multiple assessments (including assessments in a prison, where local authorities may need to put particular emphasis on cross-agency cooperation and sharing of expertise)
- a combined assessment, where an adult’s assessment is combined with a carer’s assessment and/or an assessment relating to a child so that interrelated needs are properly captured and the process is as efficient as possible.

15.14 Local authorities, together with their partners, should consider combining or aligning key processes in the care and support journey, where there may be benefit to the individual concerned from linking more effectively. Combined assessments should only take place in suitable circumstances and where assessors are trained to do so. For example, combining assessments may allow for a clearer picture of the person's needs holistically, and for a single point of contact with the person to promote consistency of experience, so that provision of different types of support can be aligned. A number of assessments could be carried out on the same person, for example a care and support needs assessment, health assessment and continuing healthcare assessments. Where it is not practicable for assessments to be conducted by the same professional, it may nonetheless be possible to align processes to support a better experience, for example, the second or third assessor could be obliged to read the first assessment (provided there is a lawful basis for sharing the information) and not ask any information that has already been collected, or the different bodies could work together to develop a single, compatible assessment tool. Local authorities have powers to carry out assessments jointly with other parties, or to de-delegate the function in its entirety.

CASSG para 15.14 uses the term 'combined assessment', but appears to describe a 'joint assessment' as defined in para 6.3 (or an 'integrated assessment' as defined in paras 6.75-6.79).