Your Care andSupport at HomeInformation and Frequently Asked Questions

Home care has been reviewedDoncaster Council recently carried out a review of the care and support you receive at home. As part of this, we spoke to customers to find out what is most important when meeting their care needs. We also spoke to providers of care and support at home to understand how they can improve services.

We listened carefully and the outcome was that people said they wanted to be able to live independently in their own home for as long as possible. Feedback also indicated that people want to be involved in planning their own care and involve their families and carers in deciding what works best for them.

As a result of this, the council has worked closely with its partners at the Doncaster Clinical Commissioning Group to design a new way of providing care and support at home. This means your provider will be based closer to where you live. This new way of working will make sure that your carers understand your local area and have better local connections. It also reduces the travel time to get to you and gives you more reassurance that help and support is nearby.

So what has changed?You will see from the map overleaf that the council has divided Doncaster into six zones. Each of these zones has been allocated to a provider and they will be responsible for care and support at home in that zone.

In addition to this, there is a network of other care providers in your area, to provide you with even more choice, giving you as much control over your care and support as possible.

When will the changes happen?The first part of these changes will start in early November 2016.

Most people won’t be affected by this - you will have received a letter which will tell you if this affects you. However, if the company that provides your care and support at home is changing, be reassured that we will support you during this period to make sure that any changes to your care and support happen as smoothly as possible.

By June 2017, care providers will be working with you so that you can remain independent for as long as possible. They will make sure that your care and support is provided in a flexible way so that you have more control over the visits by carers.

See below for a detailed breakdown of the six zones

Danum Homecare

Hales Group

Age UK

TLC Homecare

How will this affect my care?For the majority of people there will be no immediate change in their service. If your existing provider has been successful in gaining a new contract with the council (please consult your letter which will tell you if this is the case) then you will continue to receive care from them in the same way.

If your existing provider has not been successful in gaining a new contract then there will be a number of options open to you. Our dedicated transitions team will be in contact with you to discuss these options in further detail, but in the majority of cases you will be able to stay with your existing care provider if that is what you and the provider both want to happen. In this instance, we will work with you to look at the options that are available to make this happen, for example one option will be to take a direct payment.

What is a direct payment and how do I get one?These are payments which Doncaster Council makes to you, so that you can buy your own care and support services instead of us arranging them for you. This allows you to have full control over how your needs are met and who provides your support.

If you decide that a direct payment is the best option for you, our dedicated transitions team will provide you with information and will fully support you to set this up. Direct payments can be made to you either through an Instant Access Account or a specific bank account.

Is my care service being cut?Services are not being cut. Your care and support will continue to be provided but will be reviewed at appropriate times to make sure your needs are being met.

Will I have to pay more for my care and support?The hourly rate for care and support at home will not be changing during this process. If your care is reviewed at any time then the council will review the amount you pay at that time.

Has this been done to save money?No, there are no cost savings for the council. These changes are being made to improve care and support at home for people who want to be as independent as possible.

Who can I talk to about this?If you would like to speak to someone who understands your care situation, please phone Doncaster Council’s Customer Services team on 01302 736999.

Doncaster Council, Floor 3, Civic Office, WaterdaleDoncaster DN1 3BU Telephone 01302 736999

www.doncaster.gov.uk/careandsupportathome