Islington Council is thinking about changing how it charges for care services. The council is asking residents to visit its website, www.islington.gov.uk/Council/CouncilNews/Consultation, and tell it what they think about its ideas before the 1 December, 2006. What residents tell the council will help it decide how it uses money to fund home care services.
It is important to get residents' views about paying for home care services because as council tax payers they contribute to the costs. Some individual users also contribute towards care costs. Over the next three years, the council wants to help even more people to be looked after in their own home instead of placing them in care homes. Its own and independent research show this is what elderly people want - the numbers of people looked after at home by Islington Council exceeds the national targets.
Cllr John Gilbert, Executive Member for Health and Social Services, said: "We need to decide who should get help with their care and who should pay for some or all of it. Our online survey is easy to use and anyone who lives in Islington can complete it whether or not they use care services. A report by the Local Government Association shows that in the UK, demand for social care is rising by six per cent every year. Demand is growing in Islington too - we need to think now about how care costs will be paid for."
A recent survey highlighted how users value the service they receive. A massive 55 per cent of people using Islington Council's home care services responded to a postal questionnaire sent to all (number) people using it. Four hundred and forty-eighty people returned their questionnaires telling the council what was right and what they would like to see changed.
Mr Tom Collins from Highbury gets home care services after suffering a stroke a few years ago. Care workers help him to get up in the mornings, wash and dress. His wife, Mrs Ann Collins, said: "I don't have any complaints at all about the services provided by carers - they are wonderful. I have had the same carer for some time now and she is like one of the family. Two carers come to help Tom in the mornings and again in the evening. Their help makes my life so much easier. If they are going to be late, I always get a call - The service we get is good."
Overall, 82 per cent of users said they were extremely, very or quite satisfied with the service. A significant 90 per cent said their care workers 'always or usually' came at times that suit them. Of those who asked to change their carers time, 62 per cent said it always changed if they asked.
Seventy-eight per cent of people said they had a written care plan* and that most of the time their carer workers looked after them according to it. Most service users - 77 per cent said their carers had the right skills to look after them and when asked if they were treated with respect, 87 per cent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed they were.
Most carers are punctual and respondents said, in 81 per cent of cases, care workers always or usually arrived on time or within 15 minutes of the expected time.
Cllr John Gilbert, continued: "Overall, we are pleased with the results - but does not mean we think the service is perfect.
"To make even further improvements, we need to do more to make sure people understand what care plans are, why they are important and how to tell us if they are not happy with their care. We also need our officers to do more quality standard checks, and ensure that carers are all the time they are supposed to with service users.
"We will scrutinise the survey results to see whether there are differences between the different agencies providing care services or if people from different ethnic backgrounds have different experiences.
"The survey findings will be shown to our home care providers and together we will take steps to ensure all care workers come up to the standards we require of them."
People wanting to find out more about Islington Council's home care charging proposals, or have any queries about the on line questionnaire, should email ssconsultation@islington.gov.uk
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Page Last Updated: 29 July 2008