Next week, councillors will discuss innovative plans aimed at transforming home care in Leeds.
At the executive board meeting scheduled for Wednesday, July 24th, Leeds City Council will review updates on the proposed Community Health and Wellbeing Service (CHWS). This new service is slated for an 18-month pilot in the areas of Bramley, Stanningley, Armley, Farnley, and Wortley, focusing on delivering a more flexible and personalized approach to care through ‘neighbourhood teams’ of health and care staff.
The revamped service model will involve two primary providers who will establish small, local teams. This approach is designed to offer residents more consistent interactions with social care workers who will regularly manage their care, enhancing connections with families and the broader community.
Following a detailed tender process, Be Caring and Springfield Homecare have been selected as the providers to spearhead a new approach to home care, starting September 2024. They will be responsible for supporting approximately 200 individuals in the designated areas. Under the new system, care workers will be compensated for entire shifts rather than individual home visits. This change allows for greater flexibility in their schedules, enabling them to provide more personalized care, both at home and in community settings.
This initiative also aims to phase out zero-hour contracts and establish new career development opportunities for staff. The service overhaul is a joint effort between Leeds City Council and Leeds Community Healthcare NHS Trust (LCH). It has been collaboratively designed with input from individuals currently receiving care, unpaid carers, service providers, and frontline staff, ensuring that the new model meets the needs of all stakeholders.
The new initiative builds on the positive outcomes of a smaller pilot conducted between 2020 and 2022, which assisted approximately 70 people. This pilot was evaluated by Leeds Beckett University and found to have increased satisfaction with care among recipients and positively impacted staff morale.
Additionally, the Rayne Foundation has awarded a £247,000 grant through its ‘Better Careers for Better Care’ fund to facilitate the implementation of this pilot. A comprehensive financial evaluation is scheduled at the 12-month mark to determine the sustainability of this new care model.
Councillor Salma Arif, executive member for adult social care, active lifestyles and culture said:
“This is a really innovative new way of delivering care within people’s homes which will lead to significant improvements for both frontline staff and those receiving care. Working in small teams, care workers will be able to get to know their neighbourhoods and work in partnership with a range of services to help individuals access support and activities in their community.
“It’s a much more flexible approach and we’re very proud of the work that has gone into the service’s design, as it’s been a real joint effort with those who experience home care as well as unpaid carers, providers and care staff.
“We’d like to thank everyone who has been involved so far and will continue to engage with all partners and all residents receiving home care services as we closely monitor the progress of the pilot.”
Sam Prince, Leeds Community Healthcare NHS Trust’s executive director of operations and deputy chief executive said:
“This feels like the next step in joining up services across health and social care so that our patients and service users have a really seamless experience. I’m delighted that we have been able to work with Leeds City Council, Be Caring and Springfield Homecare to bring this innovative idea to life.”
