Direct budget holders in extra care
We are in the process of commission for home care in our extra care facilities due to open in Hull in January 2017. I would like some views on how other local authorities have commissioned care in extra care. the extra care scheme I have come a cross have one home care provider providing care (both planned and emergency) to all the people in the schemes. My question is, how have such providers been able to get everyone to agree to receive care from one provider? How about the direct budget holders, have they had to give up their personal budgets in order to move into extra? if it is only one provider providing care in extra care, is there an element of lack of choice for the people living in extra care?
Any views, comments will be highly appreciated.
Hi Ben, you may find it helpful to look at the case studies in the Approaches to Procurement report at the following link.
http://www.housinglin.org.uk/Topics/browse/HousingExtraCare/ExtraCareProvision/SupportServices/?&msg=0&parent=990&child=9820
Occupants should not be compelled to use the onsite provider for their planned care, but if it is of a reasonable quality, they tend to see the logic of using that provider, unless they have specific reasons for holding on to their existing provider. I can't be sure my overview is correct, but my impression is that once direct payment holders develop confidence in the on-site provider, they tend to gravitate towards the on-site provider to deliver their care.