Latest on development of services for carers

Changes in services for carers aim to reach more people with better support.

It is estimated that 60,000 carers in Oxfordshire are carrying out often difficult and demanding caring tasks. Of these, only 9,000 are identified. The aim is to increase this by at least 20% each year - until 75% of carers are reached.

New model

On  20 July a new model - the Carers Commissioning Intentions for 2010-13 - was formally agreed by Oxfordshire County Council. 

From April 2011, support will change from building-based advice and support to local, accessible support with an emphasis on outreach and raising awareness.

The main areas for service development focus on:

• information and advice
• community network development
• job opportunities. 

Extensive consultation has been carried out with carers.

Customer Service Centre

The information and advice will be provided through the new Oxfordshire County Council Customer Service Centre rather than through the existing arrangement of carers' centres in Didcot, Oxford and Banbury. The council website will be enhanced to make it more interactive and accessible.

Face-to-face intensive and targeted support will be provided by specialist outreach workers (six full time staff to be recruited) based in the communities of Oxfordshire.  This provision will be focused on the most vulnerable carers where specific support has been identified as required.  

The aim is that carers will not to have to travel more than 10 miles to get to a support group.

The county council’s Community Development Team will help establish local support initiatives and train volunteers to continue their running.

Further details can be found in the Carers Commissioning Intentions paper (.pdf format, 400Kb)

The county council will continue to work closely with carers to ensure that  they are informed of any changing arrangements. 

Estimated savings

It is estimated that estimated savings of £250,000 will be reinvested into carers services in the community. The council has emphasised that there will be no reduction in service - the level of spending on carers will remain the same.

Valuable contribution

Oxfordshire County Councillor Arash Fatemian, the Cabinet member for adult social care, said: "The county council will continue both to recognise and be very grateful for the enormously valuable contribution made by carers.  Supporting carers will always be a core element of our strategy. It is important to stress that Oxfordshire provides much better carers’ services than many other authorities - and the level of service in Banbury, Didcot and Oxford will not change.  Those services will continue to be provided to carers, just in a different way.  By doing it this way, many more carers across the county can begin to access those benefits."  

More information

If you would like to get involved in services for carers or request further information please get in touch with John Pearce or Lajla Johansson.

Telephone 01865 323617 or email John.Pearce@oxfordshire.gov.uk or Laija.Johansson@oxfordshire.gov.uk. 

Download the cabinet report (.pdf format, 127 Kb) on the new model.