By Mal Butler
The IW Council has been accused of denying Islanders a choice of care providers, by pushing clients from independent companies to its own primary agencies.
Ieuan Jehu, of Totland, who cares for his father, said this means vulnerable people have no choice in who looks after them. He said: “The council restricting people’s access to care providers. If their providers don’t have enough staff, they sub-contract the work out and sometimes carers just don’t turn up; it’s hugely distressing.”
Two ways to fund care
The council funds home care in two ways, through a council-managed budget, where the council decides who delivers services, or using Direct Payments, where people manage their own budgets and choose their own care provider.
Ieuan believes that, by pushing clients to switch to use council providers, it is breaking the law, which gives service users the right to choose their own carers.
He said: “It can be hugely distressing to people who, for many years, have built up a relationship with a carer to find they have been moved to someone else. They are in a very vulnerable position. It just adds to their stress.”
Councillor Jock Rafferty, of Cowes Town Council, is supporting Ieuan, and says the system feels inconsistent and unfair to people managing their own care. He has surveyed the Island’s home care providers about concerns within the sector, and to find out how increased staffing costs from the beginning of the new tax year can be managed.
West Wight MP, Richard Quigley, said: “I fully appreciate the difficulties the council have after many years of underfunding, and how hard they are working to turn things around.
“However, I would urge them to increase personal budgets for all care service users, not just those that use their own providers.”
Providers and patients say choice is restricted
Tasha Weir, registered manager of Home Instead, said: “Clients want to use our services because they trust us. They are even happy to pay top-ups to cover our expenses, but are turned down by the council.
“One woman with severe dementia always had continuity with our carers, then we had an email from the council to say they were taking the package in-house and another care provider was to provide our services.
“If you are local authority-funded, you aren’t given a choice. Some care agencies are having to shut down. The system is not right; it needs to be scrapped and people given a choice.”
Tracey Hill, of Osel/Way Forward, which provides social care for clients with learning disabilities, is also frustrated.
Osel bought a property in Cowes, in April last year, to provide respite care for people with learning disabilities. She said: “The charity invested in this because there was only one main option for learning disability respite on the Island, Westminster House, in Newport – our clients and their families wanted more choice.
“But one year on, we feel barriers were put in our way.
“It took them almost a year to approve the bungalow, but now a customer with a learning disability eligible for respite care can apply for a flexible budget. However, if they want that flexibility they must manage the budget themselves.
This means they must organise accommodation and payment themselves, adding to their daily challenges. If they go through the council’s preferred respite route, it’s done for them.”
Peter and Helen Moore, of Chale Green, have been caring for their daughter with Down’s syndrome for more than 35 years and feel they need a break.
Peter said: “We applied to the council a year ago, and want to go with Way Forward, but never heard back. This year they said we could go to Westminster House or have a fixed budget, which we verbally agreed. We know we would have to make our own arrangements, but, again, nothing has happened. It takes forever.”
Council is ‘committed’ to choice
An IW Council spokesman said: “The council is committed to ensuring that residents can choose their care providers and manage their own budgets, as enshrined in law. We recognise the importance of personal choice.
“Where the council has a duty to provide care and support, the person is allocated a Personal Budget. Where the person has capacity, they are offered the opportunity to have a Direct Payment Personal Budget.
“This enables them to purchase their own care and support services, with the aim of maximising their involvement and control over how their needs are met. They can spend their weekly budget to meet their needs.
“Where someone is unable or unwilling to do this, the council commissions services on their behalf through contracts it has in place. Our goal is to provide a range of options to meet diverse needs. While we do have contracted providers, residents are not obligated to use these services if they prefer to manage their own care arrangements.
“We encourage residents, who have concerns about their care choices, to contact us directly. We are here to support and ensure that everyone receives the care that best suits their individual needs and preferences.”
Isle of Wight Observer