Press Releases
- Changes planned for sheltered accommodation -
20 December 2010
Older persons housing schemes across the county have been asked to radically change how they provide on-site support for their residents.
Hertfordshire County Council have told suppliers that instead of the support services being ‘fixed’ to sheltered housing accommodation, the service will become ‘floating’ support.
Additionally, the Council has said that the amount of money being made available through the Supporting People Grant is being substantially reduced. Care services that are arranged individually by Hertfordshire County Council such as help with feeding and washing are not affected by these changes.
Providers of support services must urgently decide whether they are able to deliver the new floating service from April next year and formally advise the Council on the outcome.
Social landlord, North Hertfordshire Homes is one of the largest providers of support services with over 500 residents affected. They provide support through scheme managers who are fixed at one scheme five days a week. From April, Hertfordshire County Council will reduce their funding by almost 50% and want the managers to ‘float’ between a number of schemes as well as visit people in the wider community.
Chief executive, Kevin Thompson said “We are deeply concerned about our residents’ well-being and the timescales we have been given. We have been asked to fundamentally change the service we offer and we must ensure our residents have as much time as possible to consider what these changes mean and to discuss them with families.”
North Hertfordshire Homes is consulting with residents on three possible options before it makes its decision. They could withdraw from providing support services staff; re-arrange their support services to provide a floating service with reduced funding, or make no changes – and ask those residents who receive the Supporting People Grant to pay the difference of £8.11 per week themselves.
Andrew Buchan, Head of Care and Supported Housing at NHH said “We believe that asking some people for more money is not fair and would cause severe hardship. We are committed to ensuring that we can continue to provide a good support service so our preferred option is to re-arrange our teams to provide a floating service.”
Kevin Thompson said “It is important we take into account the views of our residents before we agree anything with Hertfordshire County Council.”
