A1 Housing / Bassetlaw

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Medical

     

Assessment of Medical Need for Re-housing

If you have a medical need to be re-housed, you can apply for an assessment of your medical need to A1 Housing's Medical Panel. The medical panel consists of a Senior Officer of A1 Housing and a suitably qualified medical advisor for example a General Practitioner, Registered Nurse or Occupaitonal Therapist.

 

Referral to the Medical Panel

Requests for consideration by the Medical Panel can be made by the applicant or someone acting on their behalf. An A1 Housing Medical Assessment Form must be completed in full to allow the medical panel to assess the applicants need for re-housing on medical grounds. A Housing Medical Assessment Form can be collected from our property shops at Retford & Worksop or by telephoning our Housing Advice Teams on 01909 533426 or 01777 713202.

Medical Panel Assessment

The Medical Panel may make an assessment of the applicant at the meeting or may defer the assessment for further reports or information that it sees fit. The Medical Panel may also defer a decision for re-assessment after a period of time where this is appropriate to the applicants medical condition.

Where an applicant has deliberately or recklessly worsened their housing condition and consequently now qualifies for priority that would not previously have been given they will not be entitled to additional priority.

Where an applicant with a pre-existing medical condition has taken the tenancy of A1 Housing or other social landlord they will not be entitled to any enhancement for re-housing or priority re-housing on the basis of this medical need. Where there is a subsequent significant change in medical circumstances the applicant may apply for a re-assessment by the Medical Panel.

Where the applicant has been assessed by the Medical Panel a re-assessment of the applicant will not take place unless there has been a significant change in the applicants circumstances.

Applicants with a recognised medical need for re-housing may be awarded Band A, Band B or Band C status according to the severity of their need for re-housing.

A re-assessment will not be carried out where an applicant has previously been awarded a Band A or B status but has failed to bid for a suitable property and has been removed from the Band.

The applicant will be informed in writing of the decision of the Medical Panel and its reasons.

Where an applicant has been awarded a Band A priority for re-housing the Medical Panel will identify the minimum standard of basic facilities required for the applicants re-housing needs. Where an applicant bids successfully for a property these standards will be taken into account in determining whether the property is suitable for the applicant.

Criteria for Assessment for Re-housing on Medical Grounds

The assessment will take into account:

· the applicants medical needs

· the suitability of their current accommodation for these needs

· any alternative arrangements or adaptations that have been made to the property for the

applicants needs.

Persons with similar medical needs, but currently occupying different types of accommodation, may therefore be assessed as having a different need for medical re-housing.

Definitions and Examples

No medical housing need

If the applicant or a dependent has a medical condition but their current housing has no significant effect on it and re-housing would not lead to any significant improvement in their health. For example, the current property meets the applicants needs and can be occupied safely and with no significant effect on the medical condition of the applicant or the main reason for the move is social and does not relate to the suitability of the property

Band C Qualification

If the applicant or a dependent:

has a medical condition that is made worse by the current housing conditions and re-housing would lead to an improvement in the medical condition or is capable of living in their current accommodation but they have a medical condition that could be improved by alternative accommodation or could have their living conditions made more tolerable and the quality of life enhanced.

 

For example:

· the property is only partly suitable for the applicants needs and they have difficulty with access to

the basic facilities of the property

· there is some difficulty with access to the property but it is suitable inside

· the need for re-housing is reduced by alternative arrangements or adaptations to the property

· there is limited support in their current area and a move to an alternative area would provide

additional support that can be received from others

Band B Qualification

If the applicant or a dependent:

· Has a medical condition that makes it difficult to gain access to and use safely the basic facilities of the property including the WC and bathing facilities and there is no separate sleeping accommodation that the applicant can use.

For example:

· the property is generally unsuitable for the applicants and they have difficulty with access to most or all of the basic facilities

· the applicants have sleeping and living arrangements which are on different levels and they experience significant problems in using the property

· there is minimal support in their current area and a move to an alternative area would provide significant additional support from others that could not otherwise be provided

Band A Qualification

If the applicant or a dependent:

· has a medical condition that makes it impossible to gain access to and use safely the basic facilities of the property including the WC and bathing facilities and there is no separate sleeping accommodation that the applicant can use

For example:

· the current accommodation is totally unsuitable for the applicants needs and they would find it impossible to live in the property

· sleeping and living arrangements are on different levels and the applicant cannot safely move between these levels

· there is an urgent need for support that cannot be provided in their current area and can be provided by a move to a different area

· there is a significant Health & Safety Risk to the person in their current property.

Assessment of basic facilities of the property

Examples of the factors used to assess the medical need for re-housing include:

· ability of the applicants to manage stairs including use of any disability adaptations

· location of bedrooms and ability to access them safely including use of any disability adaptations

· location of bathroom(s) and ability of applicants to access these including use of any disability

adaptations

· ability to use existing bathing facilities safely including use of any disability adaptations

· location of WC(s) in the property

· ability to use the WC(s) including use of any disability adaptations

· ability to manage access to and from the building including use of any disability adaptations

· suitability of the heating of the dwelling

Allocation of Accommodation

A1 Housing will maintain a list of properties that have been specifically and substantially adapted for the use of tenants with disabilities. These properties will in the first instance be offered to applicants with medical priority needs (Bands A & B).

Where an applicant has been awarded a Band A priority for re-housing the Medical Panel will identify the minimum standard of basic facilities required for the applicants re-housing needs. Where an applicant bids successfully for a property these standards will be taken into account in determining whether the property is suitable for the applicant.

A1 Housing will assess the adapted property for its suitability for the needs of Band A applicants. The assessment will be undertaken by A1 Housing with the assistance of A1 Housings GP, the Occupational Therapy Section of Nottinghamshire County Council and/or other agencies as appropriate.

A property will only be offered if it meets the assessed needs of the applicant.

Applicants may bid for any property that they consider suitable for their needs. Where an applicant applies for accommodation which does not meet their access needs the property may be adapted where it is reasonable and practicable to do so in accordance with the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 and the Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996.

If the property is not considered suitable for the applicants needs it will not be allocated even if the applicant has bid for it successfully.

Where there is a shortage of suitable properties which could lead to an unreasonable delay in rehousing properties will be identified that may be suitable for adaptation for applicants with medical priority needs (Bands A & B).

Appeals

Applicants may make a written appeal against the decision of the Medical Panel.

Once such an appeal has been made a home visit will be carried out on the applicant and the Medical Panel will review its original decision.

If the Medical Appeal Panel's review confirms the original decision the appellant will be informed in writing of the decision and the reasons for this.