Issue - meetings

Report by Maggie Rae, Corporate Director

Public Participation

Mr Brian Warwick, Chairman of the Melksham Seniors Forum addressed Cabinet on this item. He welcomed proposals before Cabinet and agreed with the approach to discuss making care a safe and professional career path with local colleges and universities.

Cllr Keith Humphries, Cabinet Member for Public Health, Adult Social Care and Housing presented a report which updated members on the Help to Live at Home service in the light of Aster Living’s decision to  terminate contracts in three of the eight contract areas. These contracts involved 600 customers, 33 sheltered housing schemes and approximately 200 Aster staff.

Cabinet was advised of arrangements to retender the contracts and to divide the 3 contract areas into smaller manageable lots to overcome difficulties encountered on the current contracts.

The report also highlighted the link between well paid staff and good quality care. The Help to Live at Home aspiration was to develop a professional care workforce with salaried staff and clear career pathways; to remove zero hour contracts whereby the employee was only paid for the time spent with clients rather than when they actually started and finished work.

Cllr Milton, Portfolio Holder for Adult Care and Public Health explained the need to work with Colleges and young people to make the caring industry attractive as a career path by making the staff well paid and valued.

Cllr Humphries responded to questions. The Leader agreed that a key factor in driving up standards of care was to adopt measures to make the caring sector a professional, well paid, well trained, respected and attractive career proposition.

Resolved that Cabinet:

a)            notes the steps being taken to award three contracts for the provision of care and support services in Wiltshire and

b)           supports the position that the Council is looking to promote by valuing the domiciliary care workforce and ensuring domiciliary care providers reward staff appropriately, recognising the link between well valued staff and quality care.

Reason for decision

A tendering process is required due to the termination of three contracts with the Council for the provision of Help to Live at Home services in South and East Wiltshire.  This termination comes into effect on 28 September 2013.  Work is well underway to re-let these contracts to ensure customers receive continuity of care.