Notts County Pledge To Keep Care Agencies On Task

Four care agencies were reprimanded and their contracts put on hold by Notts County Council. The move meant no new work was offered to the private agencies, though they continued to work with existing clients.

The council acted after complaints of carers being changed, arriving late or missing appointments.

The Post revealed the contracts had been suspended earlier this year, but reasons why were withheld.

That information has now been released after a Freedom of Information Act request.

The county council suspended its agreement with Sterling Home Care twice – once for three months in December 2005, and again for four weeks last January.

Direct Health has also faced action twice.

Its deal was put on hold for three months in April 2006, and again for 13 days last January. At this stage it had merged with the agency AYS.

Hatzfeld Home Care was penalised with a suspension of two months in August 2006, and Acorn Home Care Ltd had its contract withdrawn for 11 days in November last year.

That means no new work is offered to the private agency for the suspension period.

Those who receive care say it is imperative private agencies keep to agreed times and do not miss appointments.

David Brown, 42, of Huthwaite, has received care from agencies other than the four named which have missed appointments.

He said: “If you’re disabled and someone is coming to your house, you are vulnerable. I don’t like strangers coming to my door as I don’t feel strong enough to deal with that.

“Carers are dealing with personal things and you don’t want different people every day.”

Wheelchair-bound Mr Brown, who was disabled after an operation, said: “If a person lets me down then I am left in my bed. Luckily I have got friends who can get me up but I don’t want to rely on them.”

Peter Riley, 55, of Mansfield, has a relative who has received care from other agencies. He said: “My relative needs to be washed, have breakfast and be taken to school. It’s no good someone turning up at 8.45am.”

The county council says it has 29 private firms on its books, providing care to 4,470 people.

Their own staff look after 907 clients.

Caroline Baria, the authority’s head of purchasing and market management, said: “The reason to suspend contracts might well be, and usually is, because they [independent care providers] have had an opportunity to address problems but we are not satisfied that those problems are being rectified.

“It doesn’t happen very often. Most people, if they do raise a complaint, want an easy resolution. They just want to see the carer come at 8am rather than 8.10am. We haven’t cancelled contracts but that’s not to say that we won’t.”

The county council can use a range of measures.

Complaints are monitored at monthly meetings and at formal annual reviews.

As a result of a complaint, the council may ask care agencies to submit plans for improvement, which are monitored closely.

But when the objectives of the plan are not met, the council can suspend the contract. The number of complaints required to trigger an investigation varies.