Hope for future of North and West Sutherland Care Alliance

It is hoped the North and West Sutherland Care Alliance will continue to provide a service in the area, despite fears that it would be forced to wind down because of changes to community care.

Last Friday, members of the Care Alliance management committee met with Highland Council director of social work Bill Alexander, Colin Stuart (contracts, Highland Council) and Highland councillor Linda Munro, to clarify details of the new service.

Mrs Munro told the NT afterwards: “The meeting was a positive one with both partners willing to work at negotiating a way forward.

“There will be another meeting within the next couple of weeks which will exclude me as it will be the start of a contract negotiation between the service provider – the Care Alliance – and The Highland Council Social Work Service and councillors have no place in contract negotiations.

“The Care Alliance is a well established service provider of many years’ standing, greatly valued by their clients and well respected by Highland Council.

“The new community care contract being proposed is, however, outwith their normal area of operation and would see them grow their core services from being a home-based respite provider to becoming a fully fledged community care service provider.

“Not only do I wish them every success in their negotiations, I recognise fully that should they and Community Care Assynt, who are also going through a similar process, agree contracts with Highland Council, they are stepping up to meet the present day demands of a locally-owned community care service with all of its attendant challenges, responsibilities and rewards.

“These community based groups have the heart of Bruce.”

Care Alliance co-ordinator Sylvia Mackay said: “We are continuing discussions with the council about the possibility of providing care at home as well as respite and support services in North and West Sutherland.

“We have agreed over the next couple of weeks to meet further with the council to get details to see whether this is a viable option.

“There are many factors to be looked into, the most complicated being the question of contracts, but the most important being that the service will fit with the needs of the community.”