‘Support at Home’ in Tameside

A NEW home support contract for Tameside has been announced to provide continued support to people using home care services for a further six years.

Announced at Tameside Council’s Executive Cabinet meeting, the contract will start on 1 June 2023 and builds on the success of the previous contract.

The updated service will be made up of five contracts:

• Four contracted zones corresponding with the four Neighbourhood Teams (for North, South, East and West Tameside).
• A fifth contract to provide care and support across the borough’s four Extra Care Housing schemes.

By moving from six zoned providers to four, each neighbourhood will have its own dedicated homecare provider. This will build on the close partnership working between Neighbourhoods and providers developed over the last five years whilst creating a more sustainable business model for home care providers.

Having one supplier for the four Extra Care Schemes will allow greater flexibility of the workforce as needs change over time, from one setting to another.

Through the new contract there will be greater emphasis on growing the skills of home care workers through sharing blended roles and developing trusted assessors. The blended roles approach allows close collaboration between providers and district nurses. Trusted assessors will ensure providers work closer with service users and social worker to get people the support they need.

Both of these changes will provide home care staff with greater opportunities to develop new skills, help with career progression, recruitment and retention and ensures better continuity of care for service users.

Cllr John Taylor, Tameside Council Executive Member for Adult Social Care, Homelessness & Inclusivity, said: “I’m delighted we have agreed this new contract to secure the future of local home care for an additional six years.

“We look forward to working with these providers who have been selected in part due to the social value they bring to our Tameside community; their staff will play a vital role supporting people in the borough.”