Anger as private providers take over city’s home care services

Leeds City Council has ordered a major restructuring of its community support teams, seeking to save cash in response to the swingeing cuts in public spending imposed by Ministers.

Under the moves, staff who are taking early retirement or voluntary redundancy are being replaced by workers employed by private providers.

More than 300 vulnerable people have so far been affected by the move, prompting complaints from 60 patients, some of whom have received care from the same staff for years.

Among those affected is grandfather Colin Burbidge, 78, of Clifford, near Boston Spa, who has advanced Parkinson’s disease, struggles to walk following hip surgery and is partially sighted.

For the last two years, he has been helped to get up in the morning and to bed in the evening by a team of four carers employed by the council.

But now he has been told the service will in future be provided by a private firm because of the re-organisation.

His son Garry said he had been “very happy” with the care he had received and built up a rapport with the carers who drove from Leeds to help him.

“The carers now know and understand him and have established a favourable routine to meet his needs,” he said.

The family had been told he would now have to switch to a privately provided service.

Mr Burbidge said: “We are not happy about this as we feel that it is unnecessary and will cause my father stress and anxiety.

“It is unfair to expect vulnerable elderly people, who like routine and continuity, to have to undergo such changes without having a choice in the matter.”

The changes are being made as the council sets up a new re-ablement service which aims to help people regain confidence and skills to live independently in their home or the community following serious illness or injury.

Despite the growing need for more long-term care services as the population ages, the changes are leading to a big reduction in the size of the home care service as staff opt to retire, take voluntary severance, join the re-ablement team or are redeployed elsewhere. Even if only one member of a care team leaves, services are being switched to the private sector.

A Leeds City Council spokesman said: “As a result of staff taking early retirement or voluntary redundancy, as the council seeks to make savings in the wake of the Comprehensive Spending Review, we have had to reorganise our carers’ programmes of work to keep as many customers as possible within the council’s own provision.

“As a consequence of where he lives, Mr Burbidge’s support can only be delivered by a carer with access to a car. Unfortunately we do not have another member of staff who drives who can be part of the team of four to make sure all his visits are covered.

“We have arranged for a social worker to visit Mr Burbidge to ensure that the support he receives meets his needs and we are now identifying a new provider to take over from the end of March. We will contact him as soon as one has been identified to discuss the situation and make sure he is happy with the new provider.”

The council had received 60 complaints about the move but all but one had been resolved, he added.

Councillors have agreed massive cuts to services in Leeds amid claims it faces the biggest financial challenge since the 1930s.

The authority must make savings of £90m over the next 12 months and has already confirmed 1,500 jobs will go, 1,100 by the end of March. Around 3,000 posts will be axed over the next four years.

Thirteen council-run buildings providing adult social care including care homes and day centres are among those likely to face closure.