The recommissioning of home care services in extra care

There are a total of 1900 plus people residing in Hull aged 18 and over who have a Home Care service that is commissioned by Hull City Council. 116 of those people in Extra Care. The purpose of this research was to understand what is important to people using those services and what matters most to them.

Working with Hull City Council, Healthwatch Kingston upon Hull invited all tenants residing in Extra Care to participate in the engagement to understand their experiences of the service currently, and to explore what they would want from a strengths-based approach to service delivery.

The research was done primarily via telephone interviews, with some being done face to face and sine completing an online survey. Additionally, Healthwatch Kingston upon Hull recruited members of the public to take part in the tendering process and to form a Reference Group for future consultations relating to Adult Social Care.

The research found a need to for a more holistic approach to care, focusing particular on a person’s wellbeing, not just their illness or condition, including putting mental health at the forefront of care packages. This holistic approach should also include improved training to support educational and employment opportunities, courses and volunteering options. Similarly, people’s hobbies and interests should be included in assessment and care planning, to ensure thought is given to how they can be supported to access these.

The report also recommends key workers being present on site to support individuals, particularly around dementia, mental health, and learning disabilities. Additionally, it suggests other trained professionals on site such as a Physiotherapist, Occupation Therapist, Optician, Dentist and Dietician would be valuable.