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New Help to Live at Home contract awarded

Elderly people in Wiltshire will continue to receive the help they need to live independently at home following the award of a new contract by Wiltshire Council.The council’s nationally recognised Help to Live at Home service was created with and for older people. The aim of the service is to ensure that people receive the help they need, when they need it and to support, as much as possible, people to live at home where they feel comfortable. This may include those people who have chosen to live in sheltered or extra care accommodation.Mears Group, which already successfully runs the council’s Help to Live at Home service in parts of the county, has been awarded a contract to provide it in additional areas such as Royal Wootton Bassett, Calne Cricklade, Malmesbury, Marlborough, Pewsey, Trowbridge and Melksham. The new contract is due to start from September 2016. Mears Group and Somerset Care at Home will continue to provide services to their existing customers in other areas of the county.Wiltshire Council and Mears Group will work with the outgoing providers to ensure there is a smooth transition for all those who access the service. Help to Live at Home takes a different approach to services by focusing on what people want from their care based on outcomes. The aim is to help people regain independence and prevent them from needing more care. The model improves people’s quality of life and decreases the need for longer-term care.Earlier this year, a Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspection found the Help to Live at Home service delivered by Mears was safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led. The inspection team spoke with 32 people who used the service, 10 relatives and 17 Mears Group employees, including managers and carers.One person receiving care from the Mears Group’s service told the inspectors: “My carer is lovely and she always takes the time to help me with my bathing and dressing so I don’t feel rushed. I couldn’t ask any more from her.”Jerry Wickham, Wiltshire Council cabinet member for adult care, said: “We are pleased to build on our existing positive relationship with Mears Group as it has a track record of providing high quality care that is well thought of from the people it supports.“Already working together will be of great benefit and I’d like to assure residents directly affected by the new contract that we will work hard to ensure the transition is as smooth as possible. As always, the needs of the people we support comes first and that will never change.”Alan Long, Executive Director for Mears Group, said: “We are delighted to continue building our partnership with Wiltshire Council and extend the Help to Live at Home service.“The new delivery model – based on objectives set by the service user and their family, with our help – aims to make a real difference to people’s lives and also to be more rewarding for our hard-working care workers.”

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