Long-term Care Funding: Handle with care

The key concern expressed by many is that service users find themselves in the position of being the employers of the carers who have been hired to provide support - with the associated legal, tax, training and insurance consequences.

Individuals, for instance, who do not provide the proper moving and handling training for staff leave themselves open to fines and settlements in a situation where an employee injures themselves at work. Moving and handling injuries are the most frequent form of injury at work in the care sector and, no matter what, the legal responsibility for this rests with the employer.

Another challenge with personal budgets is the lack of back-up in the event of something going wrong with the care arrangements. If a carer becomes ill, or just fails to show up for work, the person organising the care has to make alternative arrangements, sometimes within minutes, to ensure their loved one is not left without support.

The team at SweetTree Home Care Services supports the expansion of personal budgets, as they transfer control over the care provided to service users and their families. We have many clients on personal budgets who successfully procure care services from us, which provides them with the flexibility to manage their care while avoiding the pitfalls highlighted above.

If we can assist with advice or further insight into personal budgets, call Nicki Bones, operations director, 020 7624 9944.

SweetTree.co.uk

Barry Sweetbaum is managing director of Sweettree Home Care Services. www.sweettree.co.uk