Milton Keynes Council will announce this week that they will invest £26.4 million in a new devolved choice based home care service for residents of our city.
In new plans set to be announced on Wednesday, the Council is set to fund a new quality driven home care service based on four devolved or geographical areas. In each area, home care services will be provided by three different independent providers.
The Council say that each provider will meet the UNISON Ethical Care requirements and service users will be able to choose which provider to use.
Cllr Nigel Long, Labour cabinet member for Adult Social Care said “We are strongly committed to supporting older and disabled people stay in their own homes in the community and have control and choice over the service they receive. Our new devolved service will be delivered by key partners who are signed up to the UNISON Ethical Charter. This is a huge investment by the Council in the provision of high quality home care services.”
The service will also provide home care to people with ‘Continuing Health Care’ needs. This will be funded by the NHS. It marks a shift to greater integrated health and social care services within Milton Keynes.
Cllr Nigel Long added “We are working closely with the NHS to bring services together. The investment of £26.4 million in home care is good Value for Money as it will reduce hospital admissions and enhance the independence for older and disabled people and the quality of care they receive.”
The UNISON Ethical Care Charter was adopted my Milton Keynes Council in February last year, but contractual reasons meant it legally only applied to new contracts.
Vince Peddle, UKIP Candidate for Milton Keynes South, said "UKIP Milton Keynes welcomes the news that Milton Keynes Council are to invest in a choice based home care service, based on the UNISON Ethical Care Charter."
"This we hope will ensure a quality of service for the residents of Milton Keynes, will ensure good pay for home care workers, and ensure sufficient time per home care visit."
"It is most important that the elderly and disabled have the choice to continue to live in their own homes where at all possible."
"Hopefully MK Council have negotiated good terms of contract with all providers to ensure good value for money. We look forward to seeing the detail behind the proposals."
