Concerns raised after local care provider loses council contract to Essex-based firm

Emily Price

Concerns have been raised that elderly people in a Welsh county will lose the carers “they know and trust” after a local care provider saw its council contract handed to an Essex-based firm.

Longstanding Magor-based domiciliary care provider Lougher Home Care has supported older Monmouthshire residents to live independently for the last 15 years.

The firm has provided around 1,000 hours of care every week with the support of around 60 members of staff – all of whom live locally.

Lougher has recently won the tender for the Magor and Undy area of the country borough, but from May will no longer provide home care to residents in Caerwent, Rogiet, Caldicot, Portskewett, Mathern and Chepstow.

These areas will now be covered by the national provider, Care Quality Services, which is based almost 200 miles away.

Disappointed

Opposition Conservative councillors have criticised the change in provider.

Conservative Group Leader Councillor Richard John said: “Many older people are going to be devastated to learn that they are set to lose the carers they know and trust.

“While Lougher Home Care will continue to provide its excellent service in Magor and Undy, it is disappointing that a successful and high quality local business is set to lose the contract for Chepstow, Caldicot and surrounding villages in favour of a national company based in Essex.

“A cynic would think this decision is motivated by cost rather than delivering the highest standards of personal care to some of our most vulnerable residents.

“Many older residents will now have to start again building a relationship with new carers, who may operate under a more target-driven culture.

“The council is getting a terrible reputation for turning its back on local suppliers and opting for more distant providers.”

Last year, the council awarded its milk tender to a company based in west Wales, ending a longstanding contract with Raglan Dairy.

After a public outcry the council re-tendered the contract which was later won by Raglan Dairy.

Personal

Cllr Lisa Dymock, ward member for Portskewett accused Monmouthshire Council of turning its back on a local firm again.

She said: “Richard and I recently met some of Lougher Home Care’s clients, who spoke in glowing terms about the personal care they receive from carers they trust and feel comfortable inviting them into their home.

“It’s disappointing to see the council turning its back on a quality local provider in favour of a cheaper national alternative.

“It might seem cheaper initially, but if it results in fewer older people having the confidence to continue living independently, they could be forced into residential care at considerable cost to themselves or the taxpayer.

“Vulnerable residents are extremely worried about what these changes will mean for their daily routine and are nervous about losing trusted carers.

“The council has made the wrong decision on these tenders and needs to review them as a matter of urgency.”

‘Longer-term’

Helen Davies, Regional Operations Manager at Care Quality Services, who has lived and worked in the local community for 25 years said: “We are delighted to be working in new areas across Monmouthshire and welcoming new clients into the CQS family.

“At CQS, we are incredibly proud of our amazing care workforce and the vital care that they provide on a daily basis – changing people’s lives for the better, keeping vulnerable and older people out of hospital, and allowing them to live healthier, happier, more independent lives, in their own homes.

“People and the local communities we serve are at the heart of our service, and we will ensure that all of our clients continue to receive the very highest quality of care, in the comfort of their own homes.”

Monmouthshire Council says its decision to re-tender the contracts for providing home care to residents in the south of Monmouthshire was made to ensure “secure, stable arrangements” are in place over the longer-term.

A spokesperson said: “Instead of ad hoc arrangements with a range of different agencies, we have agreed new contracts with three highly experienced providers – all of whom we currently work with in the county, and all of which already deliver care and support in the south of the county, including Lougher.

“The Council always ensures it follows well-established legal processes for tendering new contracts in line with procurement regulations and guidance in place.

“Residents can be assured that the Council has plans in place to minimise any disruption during a three month transition period. This includes working with providers to facilitate TUPE arrangements to ensure continuity of carers wherever possible.

“The Council is committed to supporting sustainability and choice within the provider landscape. The ability to work 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.”

Cllr Ian Chandler, Cabinet Member for Social Care, Safeguarding and Accessible Health Services, said: “The tender was a rigorous and detailed process and all bidders were required to evidence their experience, ability and skills to deliver good quality care and support. The contracts were awarded on the basis of both quality and cost, with quality given a higher weighting than cost”