Alistair Chambers interviews reablement team affected by the recent changes outside Shire Hall

[00:00:00]Hi Miranda, I can see there's a lot of you here today. What's this with regards to?

[00:00:03]>> It's with regards to um reablement and home care services um in for GLA County Council being 2ped over to the private sector.

[00:00:12]>> And what does that mean for for you cuz you're here in force today and there's a lot of people with great concerns. What what's the main worries? Our main worry is that going to the private sector will mean that our our our patients in the community, our grandmothers, our mothers, our fathers, our grandfathers, you know, other other age groups um will be looked after by the private sector and and their care isn't as good as as the Glosseria County Council that we give. We've been going from home care for, you know, 30, 40 years. Home care has been running up until um right now where we we assess people in the community. We allow them to have all the services that they're you know that's needed and and majority of people we either make them independent or we we get them a care provider with minimum care um if there's no way that we can reable them and we also save loads and loads of people going into hospital again which which helps the NHS basically. So you're wearing NHS equipment, NHS clothing, etc. and the lanyard. Does that mean that the at the moment reenablement is within the NHS?

[00:01:14]>> So reablement is part of the NHS. We are under their umbrella. Um we we are called home first reablement. The home first part is subsidized by the NHS.

[00:01:22]That's a 10-day assessment. The reablement part is a um is the adult social care part of it where we go into the community and we help people. And the concerns are that you're going to be going over to two companies, two paid over.

[00:01:37]>> Going over to two companies that um so say have have experience with reablement. They cannot have as much experience as us. We we are the top tier in in reablement. We've done it for many many years. We're all very very experienced and it's a crying shame. Our worry is that patients will be um left out, will not be treated the same. Um >> yeah, all of those things.

[00:02:00]>> And what's the feeling? You want to stay with the council, stay with NHS and not be privatized.

[00:02:03]>> We do. Yeah, we do. We want to not be privatized. We want to stay with the county council. We've all worked many many years, decades, some even three decades. Um, and I think the the kindest thing is to do is to keep it in house and keep a check on things. They say they they vetted all of these companies.

[00:02:21]Um, we see we see private care in the community and it is not good.

[00:02:26]>> No, I can understand your feeling and it's been speaking to people there.

[00:02:28]Great worry. um especially with the privatization about if they're going to keep their jobs. Are they still going to be employed ready for Christmas? This is transfers happening in September. Is that correct?

[00:02:37]>> First of September this is happening.

[00:02:38]We've been given about 3 weeks 3 months notice. Um the council have said well we've known about it since last year. We haven't we haven't been informed.

[00:02:46]>> So it's really in in a nutshell disgusting way to be treated especially after services.

[00:02:52]>> Decades of working for them. Yeah.

[00:02:54]>> How many years have you been working with them?

[00:02:55]>> 22 years I'm done.

[00:02:57]>> 22 years.

[00:02:57]>> 22 years. Wow. And I'm one of the me middle ones. Some people have done 30 years.

[00:03:02]>> Do you think they'll be getting that sort of lifespan of workers with a privatization company?

[00:03:06]>> No. No. Privatization private carers do not. They have a really high turnover as staff. Really high.

[00:03:12]>> Yeah. Well, my feelings and thoughts go with you all.

[00:03:14]>> Thank you.

[00:03:15]>> Um and I'll do all I can speak to other counselors in a minute. See if we can raise an emergency motion.

[00:03:19]>> Yeah. Cross party have a a box you can tick on their website to oppose this happening. If we could all do that, that would be fantastic.

[00:03:29]>> No problem. I'll have a look. Do you know what website that is?

[00:03:31]>> Uh, Unison.

[00:03:32]>> Unison website.

[00:03:33]>> Yeah.

[00:03:33]>> And is it easy to find?

[00:03:36]>> Ask Matt. I'm not entirely sure. So, we'll ask.

[00:03:38]>> Cheers then. So, we'll uh we'll get the update for that link later so you can log on. Cheers. Thanks a lot, Manda.

[00:03:44]Thanks a lot. Cheers. Thank you very much. or