Cambridgeshire County Council Extra Care Schemes Bircham and Willowbank

The Services provided in the person's home shall be as set out in the Council's individual Support Plan. Exceptions can be made where recorded on the Service User's Support Plan as prepared or agreed by the Service User's Care Manager and the Service User or their representative.

As well as personal care tasks, Providers should make it a clear that an expected aspect of the work of their Staff is that part of their role is for Staff to spend time talking to, relating with, and understanding the lives of Service Users and supporting them with appropriate activities.

Continuity of service is important and Service Users have advised that their preference would be that staff absences are covered by staff who are familiar with them and the scheme rather than agency staff who have no experience of working within the scheme.

Within Bircham House, the Provider will also assess the tenants' Housing Related Support needs to determine what housing support needs they require to facilitate independent living. This will be a flexible service and would include the following:

-Supporting Service Users to maintain their tenancy.

-Signposting to advice/support and other relevant organisations.

-Supporting Service Users with benefit, forms and other correspondence.

-Support with health and wellbeing.

-Advice and support with aids and adaptations.

-Encouraging Service Users to access services and facilities within the wider community.

-Encouraging social engagement, both with individual Service Users and by enabling social activities to be held within the extra care housing scheme itself.

Within Willowbank, the housing related support service will continue to be provided by the landlord as the Council has been advised it is a condition of tenancy.

The Provider will need to have a management agreement in place with the landlord setting out their respective responsibilities in relation to the provision of their service, including the housing related support service, where appropriate. The purpose of the agreement will be to encourage a good working relationship with the landlord.

The Provider will be expected to develop relationships with other key partners including Housing and Health.

All Providers, have responsibility to engage regularly with Service Users and have systems in place to implement service improvements where appropriate.