Care workers ‘in limbo’ after council contract shake up

Twm Owen, local democracy reporter

Care workers say uncertainty they are facing following a shake-up of council contracts is “worse than lockdown”.

They could have to transfer to new employers as fresh contracts for firms that provide domiciliary care across the south of Monmouthshire have been awarded leaving mainly older residents, reliant on support to live at home, unsure of who their carers will be.

As a result of the re-tendering exercise provider Magor-based Lougher Care, that employs 60 staff including 54 carers, will no longer work for the council in the Caldictot and Chepstow areas. It has only been awarded a contract to cover the Magor area.

Transfer 

Monmouthshire council has said staff will be able to transfer to new providers, with terms and conditions protected, under TUPE arrangements but many of Lougher’s all female workforce say they want to remain with the company.

Jackie Maidment, who works at the Magor office, said: “This is worse than lockdown, then we know what we had to do and what we were up against. Now we don’t know what is going on and have been left in limbo.”

Carer Eva Romsakova, of Magor, said the uncertainty is upsetting for her and her colleagues as well as those they are caring for: “Clients are asking what is going on, or who will be taking over, and we don’t know.”

The council said the new arrangements meant it will have contracts with three experienced providers, that all currently deliver care and support in the south of the county, rather than using a range of providers on an ad-hoc basis.

The award of a contract to Care Quality Services has been criticised by Conservative opposition councillors as the company is owned in Essex.

‘Inexplicable’

Claire Driscoll, who works in Lougher’s accounts department, said it was disappointed to have lost out: “The tender was 60 per cent quality and 40 per cent price so it’s inexplicable to lose to a company from Essex on 60 per cent quality.

“We had to write a method statement saying how we provide car but also how we bring the community together, how can a company from somewhere else compete with that?”

More than 20 carers who met with the Local Democracy Reporting Service at Lougher’s Magor office said they do not intend transferring to new providers and could instead take other jobs.

They praised the company and said they understand it pays a higher wage than other firms. Lougher said its £12 hourly rate will increase to £12.21 from April and it pays £13.38 an hour for weekend mornings and £14.71 for afternoon shifts with higher rates on bank holidays and benefits include uniform and covering the cost of criminal record checks and care registration.

Daphne Edwards, of Caerwent, said: “Nobody will look after clients as well as we do. Tell me another company that will put their bins out, go to the shops for them? Do other companies do that.”

Others said they have cooked Christmas dinner for clients and made Easter bonnets with them while some provide care for those they’ve known all their lives, including a former headmaster.

The carers said they were unhappy that clients, who pay no more than £120 a week towards their care as costs are capped by the Welsh Government, have no say in which companies will visit them and feel they are being denied the opportunity to work for the employer of their choice.

Special needs

Jo Cheetham, of Undy, said she has a child with special needs and appreciates the flexibility offered by Lougher: “If the other company says I would have to work certain hours I would have to quit.”

Olive Lewis, who lives in Caldicot, has worked as a carer for around 25 years and though she is now 72 continues to work.

“I like talking to people and it gets me out, keeps me going and keeps me fit and it’s a good company to work for,” said Ms Lewis who said she wouldn’t transfer to another employer: “I would retire I wouldn’t work for anybody else.”

Ms Driscoll said potential disruption could leave the council unable to meet its caring obligations: “Where is this company going to get 30 odd carers to cover 800 hours of care? The powers that be think there is a whole army of carers the reality is they will not be there and that the 800 hours can be provided for two pence less but it doesn’t work out like that.”

The council has said it has plans in place to minimise disruption including continuity of carers where possible and said it is committed to “supporting sustainability and choice within the provider landscape”.

It said working with a smaller number of providers within defined geographical areas across the county “will help to ensure better and more stable care for residents, will allow for increasingly integrated, partnership approaches to supporting people and is better for the environment”.

Care Quality Services has said its local teams, including senior management, are “all local residents who have been working in the area for over 30 years”.