Care and how NOT to manage change (part2) ...

I had a 2 1/2 hour meeting yesterday with Tracy Wright (from the council), Vicky Jack (from Avenue Care Services) and George Lang (from EliteCare at Home).

A lovely leaflet to explain my options ...

I listened to their presentation about the Options available to my parents and was given a lovely, brightly coloured leaflet for my troubles...

in theory everything sounds wonderful regarding the SDS (Self-Directed Support) in Perth and Kinross ... until that is, that you realise that your options for Care Support basically come down to Avenue, Avenue or more Avenue, but (if you really must) one of a list of approved suppliers if they're willing to take on the contract to supply your care.

Elite are on the list of approved suppliers ... but after a (very short) talk with Mr Lang before the meeting, and his comments to questions directed to him by Tracy ... he has said that EliteCare resources are allocated, and there are no free resources in the area to be able to take on the care, even in the event that all current EliteCare clients wished to go ahead under Option 2, with EliteCare as the provider.

Sadly, this pretty much shut down any argument we may have had against Avenue Care Services ... since to change from EliteCare to another unknown supplier, other than Avenue would seem, to me at least, pointless.

... so their leaflet should really be ...

So, where to now? ...

Since there was no option, to continue to use EliteCare, I turned my attention to the manner in which these changes have been roled out, with little to no notice, and with no planned hand-over between the current carers, and those who will take over the care from next week.

I slammed the representatives about:

• the hurried timetable for the change
• the complete lack of consultation with the clients affected
• that there is no planned handover process
• that the people affected are mostly elderly, and don't handle change well
• the fact that EliteCare have not been involved with discussing the options. Even if they have to release the clients to Avenue, the clients have still been trusting the Elite Care Team, and their presence could have gone a long way in easing the clients concerns.
• I also brought up some concerns and issues raised, to me, by other people receiving care.

It appeared that everyone agreed that they have let the clients down in this regard. While none are able to commit to changing any of the timings, they have said they will try and organise some shadowing handover during this week in order to become aquainted with the clients and their care, and to allow the clients to meet the new carers.

I felt that there was a lot of "try", "perhaps", and "maybe" ... but I'm at a point where I'll take any improvement as a great success.

Tracy, of course, was unable to address any concerns that may have been raised, with me, by other people affected by this change ... and pointed out that:

• she was the messenger, and not the designer / planner of this process.
• that it had been ongoing now for several years already and
• that there are several people meeting regularly to dicuss the GIS Remapping in the county (Yes, I wrote GSI last time ... it's GIS and Tracy did tell me what the acronym stands for but I just couldn't bring myself to remember it).

However, she did promise to return to the office, and discuss the handover process, and the concerns I'd raised.

I am sorry to say, that I am feeling very deflated as a result of this ... I had hoped that as a group we'd be able to have some sway in how the care of our loved ones (or ourselves) was provided ... it appears it was a fait accompli and only the process of informng those affected was now ongoing.

At 2:45pm I received an email from Nicola Gibson the "Contracts Compliance & Commissioning Officer" for Perth and Kinross council asking to arrange a meeting to "discuss any concerns [you] may have regarding the transition" ... the meeting was set for Thursday morning at 10am.

I would like to take this opportunity to wish you all the very best ... while I was unable to affect anything with regard to our care providers, perhaps (although I'm not sure I would believe it myself)  we  have given the GIS Mapping team some salient points to consider, and the next region affected will not be treated with such a heavy and uncaring hand.