Job cuts are looming for adult care staff helping the elderly in Angus as a result of a cost cutting shake-up to services.
Angus Health and Social Care Partnership (AHSCP), the joint board comprising of NHS Tayside and Angus Council, is planning to “redesign” the services it provides to help older people live at home.
It has seen a huge drop in demand since the introduction of self-directed support, which allows people to choose who provides their long term personal care.
The Courier understands around half the posts are likely to be lost by next summer, with current staff having to reapply for their jobs.
Last year 80 per cent of that care was from the council.
Now just 40 per cent is delivered by AHSCP, which was created in April, with the remainder coming from other providers.
AHSCP expects that the “steady and significant” reduction is likely to continue as more people choose to use other less costly care providers.
Hugh Robertson, chairman of Angus Health and Social Care Partnership, said: “We have been preparing for a change in the needs of older people in Angus for some time.
“The Help to Live at Home Programme is creating a new approach which provides essential support that is sustainable and affordable both now and in the future.
“I must stress that no services are stopping and service users continue to receive the highest standards of care.
“In future, we can improve services if we focus our resources on the preventative care that helps people to continue to live in their own homes, retaining their independence, and on the responsive services for urgent needs such as illness or discharge from hospital.
“We will of course continue to help people to arrange their long-term, ongoing care and support services from an extended range of good quality care providers.”
The creation of the new service will mean that current staff will have to apply for the new roles.
Staff will also be offered early retirement and voluntary redundancy, with compulsory redundancy the final option.
Mr Robertson added: “I appreciate that this is a difficult time as we do not yet have firm numbers of staff requirements but it is important that our staff and trade unions were made aware of this proposed service change at the earliest possible stage.
“We are extremely proud of the professionalism which our staff have demonstrated during this period of change, maintaining services and support for our service users at the highest level.”
The Help to Live at Home Programme was created to identify and deliver budget and service savings.
It has saved around £600,000 a year by introducing changes such as new shift patterns.
