PART 2GENERAL FUNCTIONS
Local arrangements
I117Provision of information, advice and assistance
1
A local authority must secure the provision of a service for providing people with—
a
information and advice relating to care and support, and
b
assistance in accessing care and support.
2
In subsection (1)(a), “information” includes, but is not limited to, financial information (including information about direct payments).
3
The local authority must seek to ensure that the service—
a
is sufficient to enable a person to make plans for meeting needs for care and support that might arise, and
b
provides information, advice and assistance to a person in a manner which is accessible to that person.
4
The service must include, as a minimum, the publication of information and advice on the following matters—
a
the system provided for by this Act and how the system operates in the authority's area,
b
the types of care and support available in the authority's area,
c
how to access the care and support that is available, and
d
how to raise concerns about the well-being of a person who appears to have needs for care and support.
5
A Local Health Board or an NHS Trust providing services in the area of a local authority must, for the purposes of this section, provide that local authority with information about the care and support it provides in the local authority's area.
6
Two or more local authorities may jointly secure the provision of a service under this section for their combined area; and where they do so—
a
references in this section to a local authority are to be read as references to the authorities acting jointly, and
b
references in this section to a local authority's area are to be read as references to the combined area.
7
In this section, “care and support” includes support for carers.