Home support providers chosen

Lib Dem Councillor Dale Mulgrew

Rochdale Borough Council has revealed that eight providers* are to be given contracts to provide home support over the coming years.

Council cabinet member for health and social care, Councillor Dale Mulgrew said: “I am satisfied that the final eight chosen have proven they are up to our high expectations. To be our preferred providers they had to show they could provide top quality care services for vulnerable people and at the same time deliver value for money for tax payers.

“All eight have clearly demonstrated they have well trained, committed staff, who put the people they care for at the centre of all they do, and can provide this care whenever and wherever it is needed in the borough. They have also committed to signing up to the Council’s innovations in social care, such as electronic monitoring and assistive technology, all key ingredients in our aim to promote independent living.”

The Council has plans in place to help anyone not using one of the eight providers*already to make the switch. This will be a gradual change over several months.
Staff working for providers who did not make the final list can transfer to the Council’s preferred providers without putting their pay or conditions at risk.

Rochdale Borough Council interim head of transformation, Stephen Williams said: “We have chosen our providers very carefully, fully involving all providers throughout the selection stages.

“We now have a range of providers who will help us ensure the Council can offer excellent home support services when people have their own budgets to pay for care. They will also help us handle a reduction in demand for home support which we expect to see as we get better at helping older people live more independently, for longer.”

*Allied Healthcare Group, Careforce Group, Carewatch Rochdale, Castlerock Care Services, Direct Health, Premier Care Homecare Services, Primecare Homecare Service and Sue Ryder.