'Voice and control - which puts the individual and their needs at the centre of their care and gives them a voice in, and control over reaching the outcomes that help them achieve well-being - is one of the principles of the Social Services and Well-Being (Wales) Act 2014.
Given the number of people - service users, their families and their carers - who have signed our petition, requesting that care in South Monmouthshire remain with excellent, known, local providers, would Monmouthshire County Council please acknowledge the voice of these signatories and enable service users to continue receiving care from the known, local carers that they trust?’
Minutes:
https://www.youtube.com/live/lxJxdKzZJiQ?si=ZwUU-XBUV4tjTX5T&t=195
The Chair welcomed Anne Lynch to the meeting who shared her late husband’s care experience. She explained that the last two years of his life, he was supported by Loughor Home Care, who went above and beyond in the quality of the care provided. Staff were very well trained, professional and compassionate, but also alerted her to changes in his condition and supported her in contacting district nurses, doctors and the ambulance service. The carers became like family and speaking with other service users the trust held in this local company made a significant difference during a very difficult time.
Her question was:
Voice and control, which puts the individual and their needs at the
centre of their care and gives them a voice in and control
overreaching the outcomes that help them achieve their well-being,
is one of the principles of the Social Services and Well-Being
(Wales) Act 2014.
Given the number of people service users, their families and their
carers who've signed a petition requesting that care in South
Monmouthshire remains with excellent known local providers, would
Monmouthshire County Council please acknowledge the voice of these
signatories and enable service users to continue receiving care
from the known local carers that they trust.
County Councillor Ian Chandler, Cabinet Member for Social Care, Safeguarding and Health acknowledged Mrs. Lynch’s loss and expressed condolences.
The Cabinet Member responded that choice, voice and control run through how the Council assesses and supports people to identify what matters to them and their personal well-being outcomes. The care providers that were successful with the bids submitted were chosen after a rigorous selection process where quality was given a greater emphasis than cost. The new providers are keen, as is the Council, to ensure that the wishes and preferences of how people receive their care remain a priority. The way that the contracts are arranged should assist with a flexible person-centred approach to care.
The Cabinet Member acknowledged that change can be unsettling, which is why the Council continues to provide information points of contact and the opportunity to discuss people's preferences with their social worker on an individual basis. There will be a three-month transition period during which existing providers and new providers will work together to hand over each individual care arrangement, discussing them carefully to ensure the voice of the person isn't lost. The terms of the agreement with the providers requires those providers to ensure that the options for staff transferring from one employer to another under the TUPE process are made clear and encouraged. This will enable people to continue to receive care from the people who they know and trust.
In a supplementary question, Anne Lynch said that three months is not that long when you've had care from a particular carer for years and questioned why the transition couldn’t be done in a much more gradual way. She provided the example of people who have Loughor care in Caldicot could continue to have that care until they no longer need it then a new contract within Caldicot would be given to whoever the new supplier is going to be in a more gradual approach so people can keep their carers rather than move to somebody new.
The Cabinet Member responded that the Council must review its commissioning arrangements periodically and has to re-tender services periodically. The intention is to develop long-term partnership arrangements with providers to provide stability in the care sector and predictability in terms of employment for those organizations. Having agreed those contracts transition has to be managed in an organised way which would not be possible over an extended period, operationally or financially
The Cabinet Member understood the concerns but explained a gradual approach over an extended period is not going to be possible without reverting to the old system of spot purchasing individual packages of care from contractors as and when needed, which was ineffective for the Council, not ideal for the recipient of care or the provider market.