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How a consultation can be carried out
A consultation can be carried out in a number of ways. These are:
- by telephone
- by video call
- in person – at the client’s home
- in person – at another location such as a GP’s practice or a suitable local delivery office.
Consultations should be carried out by telephone as standard. However a case manager should consider whether any information in the client’s application exists that indicates that a telephone consultation would not be appropriate.
If a client expresses a preference as to how they participate in a consultation, Social Security Scotland must consider their preferences (SSS Act, s.14 (b)). They are able to express their preferences at the application stage. For example, a client may feel most able to articulate the impacts of their disability or health condition when communicating face-to-face. These preferences should be taken into account by a case manager selecting the most appropriate channel for a consultation. Social Security Scotland must demonstrate how it has taken a client’s preferences into account.
Example: a case manager requests a video consultation
22 year old Georgia submits an application for Adult Disability payment without expressing a preference for how a consultation should take place on her application form. The case manager concludes that a consultation is necessary to ascertain Georgia’s level of entitlement. The case manager notes from her application that Georgia is Deaf. Therefore, the case manager contacts Georgia to ask if she requires any support such as a British Sign Language interpreter. Following this discussion the case manager records that a telephone consultation is not appropriate and a video consultation with an interpreter is arranged.
Example: a client requests an in person consultation
47 year old Brian is in receipt of the standard rate of the daily living component and the standard rate of the mobility component. This is because he has needs relating to relapsing / remitting multiple sclerosis. Brian’s needs increase because his condition progresses to primary progressive multiple sclerosis. He contacts Social Security Scotland to report a change of circumstances.
Brian firstly has support from Local Delivery to gather supporting information. Brian requests that the consultation takes place in-person because he is more comfortable discussing the impact of the condition face-to-face with the practitioner. The case manager discusses this with Brian and agrees that an in-person consultation should take place.