What can I expect during the assessment?The assessment is structured like a conversation. They are often completed by nurses or other health professionals who are trained to do interRAI assessments. You can have a family member or support person present with you during the assessment if you would like. The assessor will ask questions about your health and wellbeing, including what’s going well and what you are finding challenging. This conversation helps build a picture of your overall health and what kind of support you need. The outputs from the assessment will be used to create a support plan and your assessor will be in touch with more information about what services you may be eligible for and what service providers are in your area. How to request an assessmentTalk to your GP or family doctorThey can refer you or your loved one for a needs assessment to help identify what services or support are needed. The needs assessment is an interRAI assessment and is free for New Zealand citizens and those residents eligible for publicly funded services. Contact your local NASC serviceNASC stands for Needs Assessment and Service Coordination. NASC services help people understand what support they need and arrange funded services. You can find your local NASC service by clicking here or asking your GP. NASC services work with you to arrange support services for older people. They use an interRAI assessment to understand your situation and help plan care. |
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If they’re struggling with daily activities like dressing, cooking, or remembering things or if you’re worried about their safety at home, it’s a good idea to talk to their GP about a needs assessment.
Yes. You — or a family member acting on your behalf — can contact NASC directly to request a needs assessment.
You can find a list of NASC services near you by clicking here. You can also ask your GP to help connect you with your local NASC.
The assessment usually takes about 1–2 hours, depending on your situation.
No. The goal is to help you stay safely at home if that’s what you want. Moving to a rest home is only one of many options.
No, needs assessments arranged through the public health system are free.
Your NASC assessor will explain any fees, subsidies or funding. Some support services are subsidised by the government, but you might need to pay part of the cost.
If it’s an emergency or you feel someone’s safety is at risk, call 111. If you need urgent support but it’s not an emergency, contact your GP or your local NASC service as soon as possible.
Helpful Links
Below are some helpful links and further reading to guide you or your whānau through the needs assessment process.
- Needs Assessment Service Coordination (NASC)
- Eldernet and the Where from Here booklet
- Your local Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB)
- Health New Zealand
- Seniorline or call 0800 725 463
- Your local Age Concern branch or call 0800 652 105
Your Privacy
If you have had an interRAI assessment, you are a health consumer and your rights are set out in the Code of Health and Disability Services Consumers' Rights.
The Code ensures your right to see and understand your assessment, as well as your right to decide who else (family, friends, etc.) should have access to your information.
If you hold an Enduring Power of Attorney (EPOA) for someone else's affairs, you have automatic authority to see their assessments. The person who conducted the assessment can take you through it in detail - just ask. You may also like to see the accompanying care plan, to help you understand what decisions have been made about care.
A record of access is created every time a person's assessment records are accessed in the interRAI software system. This ensures information is kept safe and secure, and records are never accessed inappropriately.
Information entered into our interRAI software system is held securely, heavily protected by encryption and passwords. Information about real people is never used for training or marketing purposes.
For more information, please see interRAI's privacy statement.