On Monday 22 October executive agreed to a consultation looking into the future delivery of the care and support provided to residents at Luton’s five extra care sheltered housing schemes.
Extra care sheltered housing gives older and vulnerable people the security and support they need to continue to live an independent life in their own home, with access to 24-hour onsite care if they need it.
We currently provides care at three of the schemes, with Westminster Care being commissioned to provide on-site care at the other two.
With the contract of Westminster Care coming to end, and the demand for Extra Care Sheltered Housing expected to increase, we have undertaken a review of the care provided at the schemes and come up with various options, and associated costs, for improving the delivery of the care provided to current and future residents.
The 90 day consultation will look at how the care services should be provided at the schemes and who is best placed to provide them. One of the options is to tender for care for all five extra care sheltered schemes.
Detailed discussions will commence with customers, carers, family members and staff to get their views on the proposals.
Cllr Mahmood Hussain, Portfolio Holder for adult social care, said: “Extra Care Sheltered Housing represents the future of dedicated care for older people as it enables residents to have their home with their own front door, with care and support on hand 24 hours a day.
“We are taking this opportunity to look at how we can make improvements to this service in a way which is cost effective and sustainable. Within that we are looking at who can best provide this service in the future, in order to deliver first class care and support to residents.
“The simple fact is that we will only agree to tender for care at all five schemes if the consultation reveals that this is the right thing to do. That is why it is important that we speak to as many people as possible to find out what is important to them in regards to the care provided at extra care housing.”