How to write this effectively without being overly aggressive and borish ... this is a problem for me at the moment since I am really quite angry!
They do quite well at home, and they have carers that come in regularly to look after them.
No consultation ... No notice ... that's it ... Next week it all changes!
My Dad has categorically stated to me that he does not want his care team changed ...
Now, I don't think it's reasonable for us to demand "no changes" ... things change all the time ... but the timing of the changes ... and the immediacy of the changes is completely unacceptable!
A lot of the clients are very elderly, disabled and very vulnerable .. and if this change has to happen it should be handled very slowly and there should be an extensive and measured handover period so all can become used to the new carers.
While many of the council "services" are impersonal (rubbish and recycling collections, road maintenance, etc) this is not the same .. these are personal, private and intimate services these carers provide to individuals who have the right to be treated with decency and respect.
While we expect the highest levels of service from the council for ALL services .. the impersonal services can change provider without any major inconvenience or disruption, but the council should not be allowed to treat the care service as just another resource. The relationships and trust built up over time are an important part of that service, and cannot be replaced at the drop of a hat!
Several of the clients have been told that the reason for the change was that EliteCare have pulled out of the area ... which (according to EliteCare) is mis-leading because they didn't! ... they had their clients removed from them as part of the G.S.I. Remapping.
Sooooo... this is a management exercise!!!! ...
Perth and Kinross council have arranged an meeting with me tomorrow morning at 11am to explain the situation and the options to me. In attendance will be Tracy Wright from the council, and Vicky Jack from Avenue Care Services ... and in the last few minutes George Lang from EliteCare has agreed to attend too.
Back to the options: Apprently, according to the council, if we are to choose Option 1, or 2 then we can continue to use EliteCare.
This again turns out to be misleading. You see, I've spent quite some time on the phone with EliteCare and the fact is this ...
In response to (3), I said ... "Great! Not a problem" ... all the clients I've spoken to want to keep EliteCare ... only 1 family where hopeful that the change would mark an improvement, but that was because until now their care has been provided by 2 different groups of people:
EliteCare, if they really wanted to keep the region and the clients, now have to become a little more pro-active in this ... I am sure the clients here would be most grateful if they would.
A little background ...
The thing is this ... my parent's are quite now quite elderly ... my dad is 80 years old and my mum is 78 in a couple of months, and they live at home. They have their health issues, as I'm sure a lot of people do as they get older, and my dad is now almost completely wheelchair bound.They do quite well at home, and they have carers that come in regularly to look after them.
So who are these carers then? ..:
The care is provided by a team from EliteCare (Scotland) at Home and quite honestly the team they have in place have been fantastic! ... really! They're coming in every day, they've built great rapport, friendship and trust! and the care they are providing is, really, very good!... so! ... What could possible have got me so riled?
The fact is that, as of this coming Sunday, the entire team is being pulled out ... relocated to different areas (although one of the carers is unsure whether she'll have any work at all from next week) and a different company is being brought in to provide the care.
No consultation ... No notice ... that's it ... Next week it all changes!
My Dad has categorically stated to me that he does not want his care team changed ...
Now, I don't think it's reasonable for us to demand "no changes" ... things change all the time ... but the timing of the changes ... and the immediacy of the changes is completely unacceptable!
A lot of the clients are very elderly, disabled and very vulnerable .. and if this change has to happen it should be handled very slowly and there should be an extensive and measured handover period so all can become used to the new carers.
While many of the council "services" are impersonal (rubbish and recycling collections, road maintenance, etc) this is not the same .. these are personal, private and intimate services these carers provide to individuals who have the right to be treated with decency and respect.
While we expect the highest levels of service from the council for ALL services .. the impersonal services can change provider without any major inconvenience or disruption, but the council should not be allowed to treat the care service as just another resource. The relationships and trust built up over time are an important part of that service, and cannot be replaced at the drop of a hat!
A little bit of mis-information goes a long way ...
Now... my Dad is currently in hospital with a broken leg, so he missed his meeting with the council last week ... <sarcasm>damned inconvenient of him! I mean breaking is leg like that!</sarcasm> .. so, I was working on rumour and conjecture to get to the above, until yesterday, when another client of EliteCare confirmed it all for me.Several of the clients have been told that the reason for the change was that EliteCare have pulled out of the area ... which (according to EliteCare) is mis-leading because they didn't! ... they had their clients removed from them as part of the G.S.I. Remapping.
Sooooo... this is a management exercise!!!! ...
- It wasn't that the clients wanted a change in their care!
- It wasn't that ALL the carers wanted a change in their work conditions
- It WAS management ignoring the old addage "if it ain't broke - don't fix it!"
Now ... what are the options?????
I have spoken today to the Perth and Kinross council who have explained that there are 4 options, and that, only the option where the council manage the care, is being give over to a new company: Avenue Care Services ... Seriously, they've talked about Option 1, 2, 3 and 4 ... am I supposed to know what that means?!?!?!?!Perth and Kinross council have arranged an meeting with me tomorrow morning at 11am to explain the situation and the options to me. In attendance will be Tracy Wright from the council, and Vicky Jack from Avenue Care Services ... and in the last few minutes George Lang from EliteCare has agreed to attend too.
Back to the options: Apprently, according to the council, if we are to choose Option 1, or 2 then we can continue to use EliteCare.
This again turns out to be misleading. You see, I've spent quite some time on the phone with EliteCare and the fact is this ...
- because the council have removed the clients in the area from EliteCare, they have had to reallocate the carers they have in the area to other roles
- if a single family comes to EliteCare asking them to continue the service, under Option 1 or 2, they will have to decline because they no longer have any carers working in the area
- EliteCare will only be able to support us if they had ALL the clients they currently had in the area
In response to (3), I said ... "Great! Not a problem" ... all the clients I've spoken to want to keep EliteCare ... only 1 family where hopeful that the change would mark an improvement, but that was because until now their care has been provided by 2 different groups of people:
- in the morning by EliteCare (of whose team they spoke very highly)
- and in the evening by the councils own people:
- where they never see the same carer twice
- the carers are driving long distance to come
- the carers don't know the area, arrive late, leave quickly
- the carers are impersonal and the service is AWFUL!!!
EliteCare, if they really wanted to keep the region and the clients, now have to become a little more pro-active in this ... I am sure the clients here would be most grateful if they would.
Update!!! ... I have been speaking with the "family" that was hopeful of a service improvement under the changed service. They would be "over-joyed" if they could have EliteCare in the morning and evening. But since they didn't think that was going to be possible, they agreed to the change to Avenue Care Services. ... So that is 100% of the people who have been speaking with me who want to keep their current care team! :) ... YES!!!!!
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