If someone comes to us from a social services department, the local authority care manager will have carried out an assessment of what you need before deciding that domiciliary care, that is a care service delivered to your own home, is going to meet your needs. A summary of this information, usually called a needs assessment, will have been passed to us. If you have approached us direct, we need to make an assessment ourselves. To do this we will need to ask you quite a lot of questions, and probably to seek information from your carer, your doctor, and any other specialists who know about your health and needs. The assessment will be carried out by specially trained staff. We hope that you do not find the process by which we get to know your needs too intrusive. We want to build up a full picture and we will do this as quickly and tactfully as possible. Remember, all the information will be treated confidentially. Our aim is always to make sure that we understand what you need and what your preferences are about services, so that we can respond in ways which really suit you.