Council renegotiating care contracts

The City of Edinburgh Council’s current arrangements with independent and voluntary sector organisations who provide care at home are set to end in October 2011.

Twenty five bidders who passed the first round now go forward for more detailed assessment.

As part of the process, the Council has consulted service users and their carers on how well the existing services are working. The feedback received from 300 individuals is helping to guide the decision-making process for the next set of contracts, including service specification, the selection of providers and the number of providers to be awarded contracts.

In the event that a current service provider is unsuccessful at tender, the aim is to offer the option for people to continue using that organisation, meaning that there is unlikely to be disruption for existing service users. While the tender process is progressing, the Council will also continue to communicate with services users and carers about the contract process.

Councillor Paul Edie, Health and Social Care leader, said: “The care at home services are a real success story for Edinburgh, helping our older residents and people with physical disabilities to live with dignity, independence and the right level of support.

“Their needs were paramount in the contracts which are coming to an end shortly. That will continue to be the case, but it’s also essential that we listen to their continued feedback.”

A full progress report on the care at home tender was considered by councillors at today’s Policy and Strategy committee.