Worries as care agency pulls out of Southport

A Southport councillor is calling for action to safeguard the care of dozens of vulnerable people in the town who are reliant upon care services provided by Mears Care.

Local Deputy Lib Dem Leader, Councillor Tony Dawson is asking Sefton Council’s Director of Social Services to take steps to ensure that all Direct Payments and Private clients of Mears Care, who have just received 30 day notices from the firm, are provided with continuing quality and quantity of care.

Councillor Dawson has also asked that the Council’s Overview & Scrutiny Committee are provided with information about what is to happen to the large contract  which Mears Care has for providing the Councils directly-funded care in 60 per cent of Southport following receipt of information that Mears have given notice of an intention to stop providing care under the contract.

Councillor Dawson says:

“I have concerns, in respect of the local authority’s contract with Mears, to ensure that the Council has a proper process entered into which provides the least possible disruption to both clients and staff. The immediate thing which comes to mind is about whether TUPE comes into play when a provider gives premature notice of a wish to leave the contract.”

This is very unnerving to those concerned, but it is nowhere near as pressing as the situation in respect of Direct Payments and private clients who are being given relatively short notice to find care elsewhere. This pressure may place even those clients who have got vociferous and able relatives/advocates.in difficulty trying to find appropriate replacement care arrangements within this period. The situation would clearly be far worse for clients who have no such immediate family support.”

Councillor Dawson is also seeking information in respect of the other contract for the other 40 per cent of the council’s care which is provided presently by Preston-based Delta Care who have offices on Tulketh Street.

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