£6m home care deal for East Lothian

Three agencies have been appointed to provide home care services to East Lothian residents. Allied Healthcare, Housecall and Goose Green Homecare were chosen after submitting detailed cost and service breakdowns as part of a council review of all general care packages.

Care home services went out to tender with a contract value of around £6 million — but this could result in a change of carers, which the News reported in January.

At a full meeting of the local authority, Councillor Willie Innes, Labour group leader, asked that a report about the implications of the new policy for care services to the elderly be brought before the next council meeting for debate.

Decision

He said: “I think it is going to have a significant impact on elderly people in East Lothian and the firms that are currently providing the care.”

Councillor Ruth Currie, cabinet member for adult social care services, said it would be a report to cabinet because a decision would have been made, and the issue would not be open for debate or change.

She explained that councillors could make comments at that stage.

Councillor Innes later said that people were concerned that their carer would change and some companies felt they were “losing out.”