EQ-CL Framework
Quick Reference Guide
V1.1 June 2014
EQ-CL Quick Reference Guide
Contents
1. Introduction
3
2. Version Control Log
3
3. Primary Support Reason
4
4. Route of access
8
5. Significant Event
9
6. Reported Health Conditions
11
7. Sequels to requests for support
12
8. Sequels to short term care to maximise independence
14
9. Sequels to reviews
16
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EQ-CL Quick Reference Guide
1. Introduction
This EQ-CL Quick Reference Guide is intended as a resource for use by councils and partner
organisations during their implementation of the new ‘Zero Based Review’ data collections. The
guide has been developed by the EQ-CL working group and provides readymade summaries of
the new data items which can be utilised, free of charge, in local materials.
The Quick Reference Guide is based on the following principles.
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The guide does not contain any new guidance, but instead compiles existing guidance
material from both the EQ-CL guidance and further relevant detail found in guidance for the
collections covered by the framework. It is presented in a format that is intended to be
suitable for use as reference material by operational staff who will need to understand the
new data items
The material is free from HSCIC branding and is made available in .docx format, in tables
that can be directly copy and pasted from this document.
Councils are free to make amendment to the material to reflect local terminology or
recording requirements. Councils are free to add any local branding to the material.
We anticipate further development of this document and as such it does not yet contain
every element of the EQ-CL framework. We welcome suggestions or requests for further
content.
The Quick Reference Guide will be updated to reflect any changes made to EQ-CL and
associated material due to future development of the collections covered by EQ-CL. A
version control log will be maintained in this regard.
Councils and partner organisations are asked to credit the HSCIC in their finalised material.
The full 2014/15 EQ-CL guidance and guidance for collections covered by the EQ-CL framework
is available here.
We welcome feedback on the Quick Reference Guide or suggestions for further content. Please
contact us via our dedicated mailbox: eqcl.hscic@hscic.gov.uk
2. Version Control Log
Date
Version
Comment
May 2014
V1.0
First version, based on EQ-CL guidance v1.3
June 2014
V1.1
Document rereleased as .docx
Amendment to page 7 to correct incorrect heading to ‘Social
Support’
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EQ-CL Quick Reference Guide
3. Primary Support Reason
Physical Support
“I need help because there are physical
things I find difficult to do on my own”
Access and Mobility only
Personal Care Support
Access and mobility only refers to services
provided to allow clients to live as
independently as possible to perform day to
day tasks.
Examples of these could include:
Getting in and out of chairs and beds
Getting up and down stairs
A 24 hour response service
Personal care support refers to services provided
to support clients with the following:
Physical assistance in connection with:
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Eating and drinking
Toileting
Washing and bathing
Dressing
Oral Care
The care of skin, hair and nails
Personal care support can also include, where
needed prompting and supervision with the
above tasks
Personal care support may include support with
access and mobility
In the event of a client having both Access and Mobility and Personal Care Support
requirements, their Primary Support Reason should be recorded as ‘Personal Care
Support’
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EQ-CL Quick Reference Guide
Sensory Support
“I need help because there are things I can’t see / hear well
enough on my own”
Support for visual
impairment
Support for hearing
impairment
These are services provided to
assist clients living with visual
impairment.
These are services provided to
assist clients with tasks that are
made difficult because of
hearing difficulties.
Examples of the types of
support offered could include:
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Rehabilitation
Training in practical and
coping skills
Equipment and adaptations
Mobility and safer travel
Support with
memory and
cognition
Examples of the types of
support offered could include:
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Support for dual impairment
These are service for clients
with a combination of hearing
and visual impairments as
defined above
Rehabilitation
Training in practical and
coping skills
Equipment and adaptations
“I need help because my memory or understanding make it
difficult to do certain things on my own”
Relates to support and services for clients with conditions affecting their thinking, knowing,
awareness and remembering processes. The types of processes requiring support for the client
are:
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Day-to-day memory
Planning
Language
Attention
Visuospatial skills
The degree of impairment requiring support can range from very subtle to very severe. Support
with memory and cognition is associated most often with conditions such as dementia or physical
causes such as an acquired brain injury.
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EQ-CL Quick Reference Guide
Learning Disability
Support
“I need help because I find it difficult to learn how do new
things on my own”
Relates to support and services provided to assist individuals with understanding new or complex
information and learning and applying new skills. Learning disability support covers a very wide
spectrum. The following are examples of the types of support that may be offered:
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Help to keep safe and free from harm and neglect
Assistance to live independently
Support with social and education activities
Help with communication
Support for work or training
An individual may have a learning disability but may not be recorded under this Primary Support
Reason if the primary reason for support is identified at assessment as one of the other
classifications.
Mental Health
Support
“I need help because my psychological / emotional state
makes it difficult for me to do certain things on my own”
Relates to support for mental health and mental illnesses. Examples of the types of support
provided include:
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Support with living independently in the clients own home, or having support to improve their
home
Support to go out (perhaps with a personal assistant)
Support to keep motivation
Provision of someone to confide in, to talk over problems
Support to travel independently
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EQ-CL Quick Reference Guide
Social Support
Substance misuse support
These are services provided to
clients experiencing regular
excessive consumption and / or
dependence on drugs, alcohol
or both in combination.
Examples of the types of
support offered could include:
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Asylum seeker support
These are services provided to
registered asylum seekers.
Examples of the types of
support offered could include:
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Community drug and
alcohol services
Rehabilitation
Harm reduction
interventions
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Supported access to health,
housing or education
services
Language / interpreter
support
Providing advice and
information
Access to legal advice
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Support for social isolation /
other
This includes support provide
with the intention of reducing
the social isolation of
individuals, such as sitting and
befriending services.
The sub-class should also be
used to capture any support
services that do not easily fit
within any other primary
support reason sub-classes. It
is not anticipated that many
clients will be reported in this
sub-class
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EQ-CL Quick Reference Guide
4. Route of access
Route of access
Route of access describes the circumstances around the
clients need for support.
Planned entry - transition
Describes the process of change for young people with
disabilities as they move from childhood to adulthood. This
period may involve additional interdisciplinary work and
planning between involved agencies (for example: collaboration
may occur between a children’s social care service and an adult
social care service within some councils).
Discharge from hospital
These are requests relating to clients who are being referred for
support following a planned or an emergency admission to
hospital.
Diversion from hospital
services
This relates to requests for support relating to clients who are
being referred as a means of preventing admission to hospital.
Diversion will include some kinds of falls prevention and falls
response services, as well as reablement type services aimed
at avoiding hospital admission. It is intended to pick up those
referrals made specifically to prevent admission to hospital.
Community / other route
These are requests from clients (or on behalf of clients) based
in the community, residential / nursing care or any other route of
access.
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EQ-CL Quick Reference Guide
5. Significant Event
Significant event describes the circumstances that have
led to an unplanned review of the clients needs
Significant event
Hospital episode (planned)
Even when a hospital admission or treatment was known about
in advance, the result of medical treatment may be unexpected
and result in a request for a review.
If
Hospital episode (unplanned)
an unexpected admission to hospital or treatment in hospital
is required, this may result in the care needs of a client
changing when they are due to return home.
Emergency related to carer
Sudden changes in the capacity or ability of the carer to provide
support to the client may result in an unplanned review of the
client being required. This may be a temporary issue relating to
the carer, but the council is required to review the client to cover
the gap in support.
Change of residence
This may include clients who move within the community (for
example from their own home to extra care housing) and moves
to / from residential and nursing care. Some examples; if a care
home deregisters, these new circumstances may prompt a reassessment of client care needs. Alternatively, if a client has
moved into residential or nursing care this change may trigger
an unexpected, unplanned review. The council may have no
knowledge of the client prior to the move, and may be
requested to provide care management support on a temporary
or on-going basis even if the client meets the costs of the care.
It is important to note that this category as the cause of a
review. Essentially, if a change in residence triggers the review,
then choose this option.
Safeguarding concern
A safeguarding alert may trigger an unplanned review of the
client’s social care needs.
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EQ-CL Quick Reference Guide
Fall
This is often a significant event for older and frail clients,
although it may be even the risk of a fall that triggers the review.
Bereavement
Bereavement may result in increased care needs for clients and
although this may occur in addition to other causes, it should be
chosen if it appears to be the most important factor.
Change in client condition
In some cases the reason may simply be that the client’s health
has deteriorated, without any specific event occurring. The
increase in support needs then prompts contact with the council
resulting in an unplanned review.
Other accident / incident
Where none of the above categories apply, this category will
capture all other triggers of an unplanned review.
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EQ-CL Quick Reference Guide
6. Reported Health Conditions
Reported health
conditions
Reported health conditions are health conditions that are
relevant to the clients social care needs
Data on clients’ health conditions is not something that has previously been reported within a
national social care data collection.
The following interim approach to obtaining information about clients’ Reported Health Conditions
is recommended where direct evidence is not available from health records:
1. When assessing a client, social work staff should ask about any relevant long term (chronic)
Reported Health Conditions.
2. If the client (or carer) discloses any Reported Health Conditions that are relevant to the
provision of care, the social worker should then ask if these have been formally diagnosed by a
health professional.
3. If the answer is yes, the condition should be recorded. If no (i.e. the condition hasn’t been
formally diagnosed by a doctor or health professional) then it should not.
It should be stressed that Reported Health Conditions that have no relevance to the client’s social
care needs should not be recorded.
The reported health conditions are shown in the table below:
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
Long Term Health condition –
Physical
Cancer
Acquired Physical Injury
HIV / AIDS
Other
Stroke
Long Term Health condition Neurological
Parkinson’s
Motor Neurone Disease
Acquired Brain Injury
Other
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EQ-CL Quick Reference Guide
Visually impaired
Sensory Impairment
Hearing impaired
Other
Learning Disability
Learning, Developmental or
Intellectual Disability
Autism (excluding Asperger Syndrome / High Functioning
Autism)
Asperger Syndrome / High Functioning Autism
Other
Dementia
Mental Health Condition
Other
Reported health conditions are categorised by classification (the left column) and subclass (the right column). The sub-class ‘other’ should be utilised for conditions within each
classification that do not fit within the other sub-classes
7. Sequels to requests for support
Sequels to
requests for
support
Sequels to requests for support describe what happened after a new
client made a request to the council for support
Short term care to
maximise
independence
Support provided that is intended to be time limited, with the intention of
maximising the independence of the individual and reducing / eliminating
need for ongoing support by the council
Long term support
– nursing care
Nursing will apply to those clients who live in registered care homes where
nursing services are also provided.
Long term support
– residential care
Residential will apply to those clients who live in registered care homes,
even if they are in receipt of some community based services.
Long term support
- community
Community will apply to those who live independently (including those in
small group homes, sheltered housing or warden supported
accommodation) who receive home or community based services.
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EQ-CL Quick Reference Guide
End of life
End of life care is considered to be any episode of social care support
provided as part of palliative care, and which is intended to support the
individual until the care is no longer required. While the period of this
support may be short, it falls outside the definition for ‘short term support’,
both because the time period for the provision of the support may not be
known, and because there is no expectation to review any need for further
service at the end of the period.
Ongoing low level
support
Should be used where a Local Authority decides to provide an ongoing
service such as the provision of a minicom line / telecare, but no other
service needs have been identified. Such services will be based in the
community. All equipment and adaptations (including those with ongoing
costs for maintenance and safety checks) should be included in this
category as described above. This category doesn’t suggest services are
limited or ‘minor’ in scope but it does suggest that they may continue ‘in the
background’ supporting clients with minimal attention required by the local
authority.
Short term
support - other
Includes all episodes of support provided that are intended to be time
limited without intending to maximise independence / reduce the need for
ongoing support. An example of this might be a short term intervention for a
younger adult with impaired mobility recovering from an operation, who is
expected to make a full recovery without any additional intervention.
Emergency support provided for all new clients should be included in this
category, while emergency support provided to existing clients should be
excluded, as this will be part of ongoing Long Term support.
Universal services
/ signposted to
other services
A ‘universal service’ is any service or support (other than those above) for
which there is no test of eligibility and no requirement for review.
Signposting indicates that the client will not be supported by the CASSR
and there is no universal service which will help them. Details are therefore
given of other organisations (e.g. in the voluntary sector) that might be able
to provide assistance.
No services
provided (any
reason)
The client may have low-level needs which cannot be supported by the
CASSR and there is no universal service which will help them
This will also apply if the client dies or for some reason the process of
assessing needs is terminated (if just temporarily suspended, wait until the
assessment process has re-started and reached a conclusion before
entering data here). Selecting this sequel should not be seen as reflecting
negatively on the local authority but more about the nature of the request for
support or client circumstances
Where multiple sequels occur for the client you should choose the sequel that appears
highest in the above table
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EQ-CL Quick Reference Guide
8. Sequels to short term care to maximise independence
Sequels to
short term
care to
maximise
independence
Sequels to short term care to maximise independence describe
what happened after the client received the care
Early cessation of
service – not leading
to long term support
This should be used where the period of short term support was cut short
in an unplanned way (e.g. because of a health issue, client moving out of
the local area etc.) where this does not result in long term support
provision by the council
Early cessation of
service – leading to
long term support
This is used if a client’s short term support ceased unexpectedly before
the planned end date and this resulted in provision of long term services.
Long term support –
any setting
This is used if the client goes on to receive long term care
Ongoing low level
support
Should be used where a Local Authority decides to provide an ongoing
service such as the provision of a minicom line / telecare, but no other
service needs have been identified. Such services will be based in the
community. All equipment and adaptations (including those with ongoing
costs for maintenance and safety checks) should be included in this
category as described above. This category doesn’t suggest services are
limited or ‘minor’ in scope but it does suggest that they may continue ‘in
the background’ supporting clients with minimal attention required by the
local authority.
Short term support other
Includes all episodes of support provided that are intended to be time
limited without intending to maximise independence / reduce the need
for ongoing support. An example of this might be a short term
intervention for a younger adult with impaired mobility recovering from an
operation, who is expected to make a full recovery without any additional
intervention. Emergency support provided for all new clients should be
included in this category, while emergency support provided to existing
clients should be excluded, as this will be part of ongoing Long Term
support.
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EQ-CL Quick Reference Guide
A ‘universal service’ is any service or support (other than those above)
No services provided for which there is no test of eligibility and no requirement for review.
– universal services / Signposting indicates that the client will not be supported by the CASSR
signposted to other
and there is no universal service which will help them. Details are
services
therefore given of other organisations (e.g. in the voluntary sector) that
might be able to provide assistance.
This category applies to clients for whom it can be identified that they or
No services provided
their carer(s) intend to purchase support privately and are withdrawing
– needs identified
from assistance offered by the council, including care planning support,
but self funding
annual reviews etc.
No services provided
– needs identified
but support declined
No services provided
– no identified needs
Where multiple sequels occur for the client you should choose the sequel that appears
highest in the above table
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EQ-CL Quick Reference Guide
9. Sequels to reviews
Sequels to reviews
Sequels to reviews describe what happened after the client
received a review of their social care needs
Change in setting
Move to nursing care
Choose this if a community based client is now moving to
registered nursing care. If the client is already in residential
care, then record this as level of long term support increased
rather than as a change in setting.
Move to residential care
As above but for registered homes that do not offer nursing
care.
Move to community
Where a client is reviewed in a residential setting but the
conclusion is that they will move back into the community
(including cases where a home is going to be deregistered and
the client will continue to live there) then this option applies.
Moves to supported living arrangements from registered care
homes will also be captured here if the move is the outcome of
a review.
Short term support to
maximise independence
Support provided that is intended to be time limited, with the
intention of maximising the independence of the individual and
reducing / eliminating need for ongoing support by the council.
No change in setting
Level of long term support
increased
If a client is already in residential care and moves to nursing
care then record this as level of long term support increased
rather than as a change in setting
No change in long term
support
Despite a change in client circumstances, the review does not
result in changes to long term support being made
Level of long term support
decreased
In some cases, unplanned reviews may reveal that not all the
support being provided was actually needed and reductions are
made.
All long term support
temporarily suspended
Changes in client circumstances may result in a suspension of
care, such as when the review prompts an emergency hospital
admission.
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EQ-CL Quick Reference Guide
All long term support ended
This may apply either if a client dies immediately following
review, or if the change in circumstances results in the client
being supported through other means (e.g. by family, by private
provision). This includes cases where funding is taken over by
the NHS and end of life
Where multiple sequels occur for the client you should choose the sequel that appears
highest in the above table
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EQ-CL Quick Reference Guide
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