A transfer of adult home care provision has been criticised as chaotic and upsetting to some vulnerable users.
Lincolnshire County Council says it has changed its contracts to ensure the market can continue to support the ever-growing demand. There are now 12 prime providers rather than the 70 which the council used to contract.
In Gosberton, one elderly man was left in tears over the resultant changes and a World War Two veteran in his 90s faced uncertainty over his future care.
The council admits to there being some transfer problems but has promised to help quickly resolve them.
Gosberton Baptist Church minister Steve Weatherly-Barton and his wife Annie have been caring for family friend Arthur Vincent (85) at their home for five years.
Mrs Weatherly-Barton believes some of the sub-contractors used by the prime providers are ill-equipped to cope, leaving some service users in the lurch.
She said: “It’s chaos. These are elderly and vulnerable folk and the last thing they need is change.”
Mrs Weatherly-Barton claims the first official news she received of a new system was a home visit on Wednesday, September 23, to say Mr Vincent’s carers would be changing three days later. The two staff were told that Mr Vincent was very ill in hospital but care workers still turned up on the Saturday, Sunday and Monday.
Mr Vincent has since elected to pay privately to continue with the care provider who would have been replaced.
Mrs Weatherly-Barton said: “I’m worried for those people who don’t have enough money for private care or have no one to speak for them. I find that quite frightening.”
The council’s assistant director for adult care, Pete Sidgwick, said about 3,400 people have transferred to their new providers without disruption.
He added: “There are ten people who have not yet been able to transfer to their new provider and, in those cases, alternative arrangements and contingency plans have been offered to the people affected.
“Wherever we can, we make sure people can continue being cared for at home but if this isn’t possible we offer a temporary period of respite care to make sure the person’s needs are met.
“We are working closely with the new providers to make sure they transfer the remaining care packages as soon as possible and we will be monitoring the new arrangements very closely.”
