Person-centred process? Procedural fairness and Care Act 2014 needs assessments

This article examines the process of seeking social care needs assessments under the Care Act 2014 in England through the lens of procedural fairness theory. Drawing on interviews with 21 individuals with experiences of needs assessments, we identify the ‘process qualities’—the factors rooted in the literature on procedural fairness—that matter most to people navigating this critical front-line component of the social care system. Our analysis reveals two themes: the importance of ‘dignified treatment’ and system ‘proactivity’, each underpinned by a set of process qualities. These qualities for the former—personalization, empathy, and voice—are well explored in the literature on person-centred care. However, the latter—responsibility taking, dependability, transparency, assistance, and availability—are neglected in current research on experiences of the Care Act 2014. Drawing on these process qualities, we set out the potential for future research grounded in procedural fairness theory in social care.