Council set to outsource £2million social care contract

Changes to how Plymouth's social care reablement services are delivered are to be considered by the City Council.

In partnership with the Western Locality NEW Devon Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), the City Council Cabinet will decide whether to award a contract worth approximately £2 million a year, at a meeting on Tuesday September 3.

If approved, the reablement team currently employed by the Council will move to the new provider with a TUPE agreement to protect their terms and conditions. 84 people are currently on the transfer list. The company has said it intends to protect employment contracts, pensions, training and hours worked.

The new reablement provider will be named if the contract award is approved by Cabinet.

Councillor Sue McDonald, Cabinet member for Public Health and Adult Social Care, said: "We have an important opportunity to review and reshape our service to ensure that we can offer the best possible care to people with the resources we have available. It also makes financial sense for us to outsource the reablement work, at the moment we only have a small workforce and an outside company can operate more efficiently.

"Staff who leave the Council will be given guaranteed hours contracts, the TUPE agreement will mean they don't lose out in terms of work, training or pensions by transferring to the new provider."

Reablement is a key service that helps people regain their mobility and independence after illness or injury. It focuses on enabling people to have control over their lives by supporting them as they re-learn basic skills and building their confidence to undertake daily tasks. It helps prevent people being admitted to hospital or care homes and speeds up discharge from hospital as people can go home with the necessary support.

Currently most domiciliary care is offered through the independent sector. Approximately eight per cent is offered through the Council's in-house service, with the Council saying it proves costly and does not benefit from economies of scale.