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Council U-turn means elderly can keep carers

Susannah Wright
26/ 6/2008

ELDERLY people will be able to keep their current carers following a U-turn by the council over changes to the home-care system.

Many OAPs were told last month that they would be looked after by carers from different organisations due to changes in care provision.

It came after Apex, the company which had provided home-help care for all elderly people across the city, lost its contract with the council.

The council had instead decided to split the city into eight different areas, with different companies taking over each one.

But after 11th hour talks between the council and Apex, elderly residents requiring home-care have been given the choice of whether to stay with Apex or be looked after by a new company.

Philomena Mann, 75, of Highbank Drive, Didsbury, has been looked after by her carer, Diane, for 18 months, who works for Apex.

She said: "I’m so glad I can keep Diane. She’s a lifeline to me, she does my shopping and she helps me get dressed - she’s so good to me and she helps me be as independent as I can.

"When the council said they were changing things I rang them to tell them I didn’t want someone new coming in because, I like Diane and I trust her."

Hilda Simister, 83, has been looked after at her home on Moseley Court, Levenshulme for seven years by an Apex carer, Bev.

Hilda, like Philomena, has no children. She said: "Bev’s like family to me, like a daughter really. She does so much for me, she helps me get showered, she does my shopping and she’s the only person I trust to get my pension.

"She does more than she’s meant to, like doing my hair, and she’s much more than a carer, she‘s a friend."

Sian Schofield, director of health and social care at Apex, which is based on Fog Lane, Withington, said: "At the end of the day, it is our elderly clients’ needs who should come first. We are sorry to have lost the full contract but there are things that we are looking at rectifying.

"Our staff work hard and they enjoy establishing a bond with the clients and I am glad that many of them have said they trust our staff and want to stay with us. We will do all we can to ensure they continue to get the best care from us."

A spokesman for the council said: "Manchester City Council is reorganising its home care service to provide a customer focused, local, cost effective service.

"Customers will have much more say in how care services are delivered to them."