Stirling Council defends homecare change

CLAIMS that people could lose longstanding and trusted home helps because of “privatisation” of the service are being defended by Stirling Council.

Critics say home helps mainly dealing in personal care are having their jobs taken over by the private sector, with the initial roll out beginning shortly.

And some claim a “reablement” strategy is more of a money shifting exercise than a way of improving quality of life.

One critic, who did not want to be named, said: “Some of the home helps have been working with the same people for years and have built up a lot of trust with them. It’s absolutely disgusting what’s happening.

“It’s much easier for these people to do their jobs when their clients trust them and are comfortable with them. Now some people will be faced with a bunch of strangers. It’s very unfair.”

But the council’s healthcare and wellbeing portfolio holder Councillor Graham Houston hit back: “Clients and families will continue to receive a homecare service that meets their assessed needs and this service will be closely reviewed. Every client will be visited by a member of the social care staff to explain the changes to them and answer any questions they may have.”

The council conducted a review of older people’s services throughout 2009, with a scrutiny group recommending improvements to services to allow older people to stay at home as long as possible with support from social care and health service staff.

A “re-ablement service” was one of the recommendations. The council defines this as meaning the home care service will provide rehabilitation for up to six weeks at which point it is expected that individuals will be “able to do more for themselves and therefore not require as much support”.

A Stirling Council spokesperson said: “We have already established a team that has been successful in providing this new ‘re-ablement’ service and we are currently training more staff to extend the service.

“In order to release staff for training we need to change their duties and this means that some people may get a new home help.

“The service has for a long time purchased home care services from private companies – 50 per cent of the home care service is provided in this way – and recently agreed through the council to tender for services. New contracts were approved by the council at its meeting on March 11, 2010.”