Big Changes to Adult Community Care
About the new contract
Central London Community Health Care Trust aren’t total strangers to Hertfordshire. Over the past few years they have provided the West Herts Enhanced Community Respiratory Services and have been commissioned by the county council for county-wide Sexual Health Services.
Herts Community Trust (HCT) who previously held the contract, will continue to be responsible for delivering children’s community care across the county, as well as adult services in the East and North district.
Healthwatch Hertfordshire, whose role is to act as the voice of local people at the decision maker level for health and social care, were particular surprised by this decision following the recent ‘good’ Care Quality Commission rating HCT received only this week. Our belief is that any change in providers should only bring about a continued improvement to services, and we will continue to push for this from the patient’s perspective.
Geoff Brown, Chief Executive of Healthwatch Hertfordshire commented:
"Our first concern is for the people who rely on the services HCT currently provide. Continuity of care is exceptionally important as it is delivered to some of the most vulnerable residents within the county. Disruption to routines and important maintenance can quickly escalate to serious health risks. We expect to have a key role over the next 6 months ensuring that plans and provisions are being put in place."
"Following any transition, we expect to see a better and more robust service being provided. Finally, we will be working closely with HCT and their commissioners to ensure that this will not have a negative impact on other services the trust still provide across the county."
People who depend on adult care services will want to be confident that in the future they will be as good or better than they are now and changes to the provider do not disrupt these services. Our role as Healthwatch Hertfordshire is to ask the questions that residents and patients have, and ensure the people of Hertfordshire can be confident in the answers
To find out more about the organisations featured in this article visit their websites:
Herts Valleys Clinical Commissioning Group
