A nominated individual is a care worker who has been specifically chosen by a service user to be their main point of contact within a care setting. This worker will be responsible for liaising with other members of staff on the service user’s behalf, and for ensuring that their needs are met. The nominated individual should be someone who the service user feels comfortable with, and who they can trust to advocate for them.
Under the Care Act 2014, people who use care services have the right to nominate someone to represent them and make decisions on their behalf if they are unable to do so themselves. This person is known as a ‘nominated individual’.
Nominated individuals can be appointed by people who use care services, or by their carers (if they have one). They can also be appointed by the local authority or other body that is responsible for arranging the person’s care.
Nominated individuals have the right to be consulted on all aspects of the person’s care and support, and to make decisions on their behalf. They can also request information from the local authority or other body that is responsible for arranging the person’s care.
The nominated individual must be 18 years or over, and must not be the person’s paid carer.