Chance to compare West Sussex care providers online

The list is published in the latest online version of the West Sussex Care Guide.

As well as the benefits and payments checklist, the 2011/12-care guide lists domiciliary care services and care homes in West Sussex registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

It also includes information on day care and community care services, extra care housing schemes and support for carers.

The guide is jointly produced by West Sussex County Council and the West Sussex Forum, which is the largest representative body of independent care providers in the county.

This year’s care guide together with the benefits and payments checklist is available on-line at www.westsussex.gov.uk in PDF formats.

It is also accessible via Caringinfo, www.caringinfo.com, which has links to providers’ most recent CQC inspection reports.

The Caringinfo website also shows the current vacancies in care and nursing homes.

West Sussex County Council deputy member for adults’ services, Graham Tyler, said: “The interactive website is an extremely useful way of comparing care providers in West Sussex.

“For most people funding the cost of their care home fees represents the second largest purchase of their lifetime.

“Yet it is believed a significant number of people are not receiving the benefits and other payments to which they are entitled.

“These could help them towards affording the fees of their chosen care home.

“This is why we have included the benefits and payments checklist to make sure people know what they maybe entitled to if they have total assets in excess of £23,250.”