Agenda item

“Despite:

·                paying higher per hour costs than most authorities to our Home Care Providers;

·                investing a significant amount of time and resources in enhancing the status of Home Care workers; and

·                having changed the contracting arrangements for Home Care;

there is still a perception that this is a low status profession with poor pay and conditions of service. There is now a severe crisis in recruitment of Home Care professionals which is a greater threat to services than the financial challenges.

Oxfordshire County Council therefore asks the Cabinet to start a process to:

·                create a directly employed workforce with training, continuous professional development, fair pay and conditions of service at its core;

·                provide training and education opportunities for young people in this area of employment and engage with young people in considering the caring professions as a future career path.”

With the Consent of Council, Councillor Brighouse moved and Councillor Heathcoat seconded an amendment to her Motion at the suggestion of Councillor Howson and Councillor Heathcoat as shown below in bold italics/strikethrough:

“Despite:

·                paying higher per hour costs than most authorities to our Home Care Providers;

·                investing a significant amount of time and resources in enhancing the status of Home Care workers; and

·                having changed the contracting arrangements for Home Care;

there is still a perception that this is a low status profession with poor pay and conditions of service. There is now a severe crisis in recruitment of Home Care professionals which is a greater threat to services than the financial challenges.

Oxfordshire County Council therefore asks the Cabinet to start  explore a process to:

·                create a directly employed workforce with training, continuous professional development, fair pay and conditions of service at its core;

·                provide training and education opportunities for young people and adults in this area of employment and engage with young people in considering the caring professions as a future career path through apprentiships and other routes.”

Councillor Williams moved and Councillor Coates seconded the following amendment as shown below in bold italics/strikethrough:

“Despite:

·                paying higher per hour costs than most authorities to our Home Care Providers;

·                investing a significant amount of time and resources in enhancing the status of Home Care workers; and

·                having changed the contracting arrangements for Home Care;

there is still a perception that this is a low status profession with poor pay and conditions of service. There is now a severe crisis in recruitment of Home Care professionals which is a greater threat to services than the financial challenges.

Oxfordshire County Council therefore asks the Cabinet to start  explore a process to:

·                create a directly employed workforce with training, continuous professional development, fair pay and conditions of service at its core;

·                provide training and education opportunities for young people and adults in this area of employment and engage with young people in considering the caring professions as a future career path through apprentiships and other routes.”

·                Consider the feasibility of operating at least one care home directly by the Council to set quality standards and be a centre for training. The Council model to also give a clear picture of the true cost of care. 

Following debate, the amendment was put to the vote and was Business lost by 49 votes to 2, with 7 abstentions.

The substantive Motion as amended was then put to the vote and was carried unanimously.

RESOLVED: (unanimously)

“Despite:

·                paying higher per hour costs than most authorities to our Home Care Providers;

·                investing a significant amount of time and resources in enhancing the status of Home Care workers; and

·                having changed the contracting arrangements for Home Care;

there is still a perception that this is a low status profession with poor pay and conditions of service. There is now a severe crisis in recruitment of Home Care professionals which is a greater threat to services than the financial challenges.

Oxfordshire County Council therefore asks the Cabinet to explore a process to:

·                create a directly employed workforce with training, continuous professional development, fair pay and conditions of service at its core;

·                provide training and education opportunities for young people and adults in this area of employment and engage with young people in considering the caring professions as a future career path through apprentiships and other routes.”