Planning of S117 aftercare should start as soon as the person is admitted to hospital. A pre aftercare meeting should take place within a maximum of 21 working days from admission and must be attended by the responsible clinician (or appropriate medical other), care coordinator, the person concerned and/or their representative.

The aftercare meeting will confirm the needs and support requirements of the individual and be clear which are s117 related and which are 'other'.

Prior to discharge a Care Act 2014 s9-13 needs assessment should be undertaken where required to identify the level of support required under s117 and needs outside the scope of s117. This should complement any other assessment and planning carried out as part of the individual's Care Programme Approach, Care Treatment Review and physical health reviews.

If the person may be eligible for NHS Continuing Health Care a checklist should be completed.

A care plan should state accurate details of the s117 needs provided:

• health needs (non chargeable)
• social care needs (non-chargeable)
• other needs identified outside s117 aftercare services (chargeable)

A person's s117 needs should be reviewed at every Care Programme Approach meeting or as a minimum every 12 months.

People who refuse or disengage from services are still eligible for s117. A care plan should still be prepared, a risk assessment should be completed, and a review date should be set.