At the last Full Council meeting of Bury Council the Lib Dem team of Councillors asked questions on the
length of home care visits provided by Bury Council.
These investigations have shown that a shocking 37% of Home Care visits is Bury are 15 minutes or less.
Bury Council commissions care at Home services for Adults to deliver the care and support required to enable the customer to remain as independent as possible. Currently, the Council commissions external providers to deliver care at home services in 15 minute blocks.
The typical number and duration of weekly visits to customers is as follows:-
Total Number of Visits per week – 12782 (100%)
Number of 15 minute visits – 4790 (37.47%)
Number of 30 minute visits – 5796 (45.35%)
Number of 45 minute visits – 1433 (11.21%)
Number of 60 minute visits – 578 (4.52%)
Number of visits over 60 minutes 185 (1.45%)
A growing number of voices are speaking out against 15 minute care visits:
Statutory Care Act guidance, states, ‘short home-care visits of 15-minutes or less are not appropriate for people who need support with intimate care needs.’
The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) also advises that carers must spend a minimum of 30 minutes during visits to help keep people well.
The disability charity Leonard Cheshire has campaigned for a number of years to end flying care visits through its Make Care Fair campaign since 2013.
Out of the 152 councils surveyed in its survey this year, 16 councils have changed their policy in the last year and no longer commission 15-minute visits for personal care.
The local government Trades Union UNISON is a strong campaigner against 15 minute care visits. It’s Ethical Care Charter is a set of commitments that councils make which fix minimum standards that will protect the dignity and quality of life for those people and the workers who care for them.
Where have you all been! The 15 minute visit has been known for over a decade. Welcome to the real world!
Thanks Dina!
We’re not new to this, been using our information rights as Councillors to make sure that the high rate of 15 minute care visits in Bury is made public every year for probably five years now.
My mother, who funds her own care visits, with a company commissioned through the council, receives 2 visits per day. They are supposed to be of 15 minutes duration. On average the morning visit lasts from 7-9 minutes whilst the lunch time visit is usually around 15 minutes . I have pointed this out to the company involved & the council . I am annoyed that my mother is paying fully for a service she doesn’t receive. I was told that “that is how it is”