Leeds is unveiling an innovative Community Health and Wellbeing Service to revolutionize home care with personalized teams and shift-based pay for care workers. A collaboration between Leeds City Council and Leeds Community Healthcare NHS Trust aims to improve integrated services and care experiences in targeted areas of the city.
What are the new plans to transform home care in Leeds?
Leeds is piloting a Community Health and Wellbeing Service to revolutionize home care with personalized, neighborhood-based teams. Care workers will benefit from shift-based pay and career pathways, focusing on person-centred care. The initiative is a collaboration between Leeds City Council and Leeds Community Healthcare NHS Trust, aiming for integrated services and improved care experiences.
Introduction to the New Care Model
Plans to revolutionize home care in Leeds have recently been disclosed, marking a significant shift in how adult social care is delivered. At an upcoming Leeds City Council’s executive board meeting, councillors will hear an update on the Community Health and Wellbeing Service (CHWS), which is set to be piloted in specific Leeds areas. The new model, tested in Bramley, Stanningley, Armley, Farnley, and Wortley over an 18-month pilot period, promises a personalized service, drawing on ‘neighbourhood teams’ of health and care staff to deliver care.
The innovative approach will have two core providers, Be Caring and Springfield Homecare, who have been selected after a rigorous tender process. These providers will be responsible for creating small, localized teams starting from September 2024, overseeing care for approximately 200 residents. Small teams lead to greater consistency of care workers for residents, enhancing connections within families and throughout the community.
The significance of this new system lies in its flexible structure. Care workers will be compensated for their entire shift instead of separate home visits. This allows them the ability to work adaptively, focusing on person-centred care that includes support within and outside the home. The CHWS initiative embodies a robust strategy to phase out zero-hour contracts and establish rewarding career pathways for staff members.
Collaborative Effort and Community Impact
The service is a joint commission between Leeds City Council and Leeds Community Healthcare NHS Trust (LCH). Its creation involved a collaborative design process that included input from individuals currently receiving at-home care, unpaid carers, service providers, and frontline staff. The co-designing process reflects a significant commitment to integrating feedback from all stakeholders directly affected by home care services.
The pilot follows a previously conducted smaller-scale pilot that took place from 2020-2022, supporting around 70 people. Leeds Beckett University’s evaluation of this smaller pilot highlighted improvements in care satisfaction and positive impacts on the staff. Additionally, a £247,000 grant from the Rayne Foundation’s ‘Better Careers for Better Care’ fund supports the ongoing service, with a full financial evaluation set to be undertaken after 12 months to assess the CHWS model’s sustainability.
Cllr Salma Arif, executive member for adult social care, active lifestyles and culture, expressed great enthusiasm for the project:
“This is a really innovative new way of delivering care within people’s homes which will lead to significant improvements for both frontline staff and those receiving care. Working in small teams, care workers will be able to get to know their neighbourhoods and work in partnership with a range of services to help individuals access support and activities in their community.”
The initiative places high importance on connection and flexibility. The council and its partners pledge to continue engagement with all parties involved, emphasizing the monitoring and evaluation of the pilot’s progress.
A Unified Vision for Health and Social Care
The collaboration between Leeds City Council and Leeds Community Healthcare NHS Trust represents a shared vision for seamless health and social care services. Sam Prince, Leeds Community Healthcare NHS Trust’s executive director of operations and deputy chief executive, shared his views on the partnership:
“This feels like the next step in joining up services across health and social care so that our patients and service users have a really seamless experience. I’m delighted that we have been able to work with Leeds City Council, Be Caring, and Springfield Homecare to bring this innovative idea to life.”
The overarching aim of the CHWS is to provide a superior experience for patients and service users, one that transcends traditional service boundaries and fosters a truly integrated approach to care.
Media inquiries regarding these transformative plans can be directed to the Leeds City Council communications and marketing team via communicationsteam@leeds.gov.uk or by calling 0113 378 6007. As the city of Leeds embarks on this journey to reshape home care, the anticipation is palpable for how these changes will enrich the lives of those both giving and receiving care within the community.
- Leeds is piloting a Community Health and Wellbeing Service to revolutionize home care with personalized, neighborhood-based teams.
- Care workers will benefit from shift-based pay and career pathways, focusing on person-centred care.
- The initiative is a collaboration between Leeds City Council and Leeds Community Healthcare NHS Trust, aiming for integrated services and improved care experiences.
- Be Caring and Springfield Homecare will create small, localized teams overseeing care for approximately 200 residents.
- Care workers will be compensated for their entire shift instead of separate home visits, focusing on person-centred care within and outside the home.