Continued economic concerns as well as ongoing demographic challenges mean that changes like the recent announcement by Suffolk County Council, where adult social care funding is being cut in actual terms, are likely to be increasingly more common. We believe that over the course of the next generation, it will become increasingly more common for the elderly to have to pay for at least part of their personal care needs. It is vital therefore that provision is made for these future needs.
At Penrose Care we have a straightforward approach to calculating the cost of homecare services provided, providing clear quotes allowing our clients to appropriately budget for their care needs. These fees are set to be sufficient to comply with all relevant laws and regulations such as the National Minimum Wage and Employers National Insurance contributions, fund top of the range training which includes an up to 12-days induction vs 1-3 days common in the sector, continuing professional development such as a QCF Level 2 Award in Dementia Awareness, Penrose Care’s unique London Living Wage committment, top-of-line infrastructure such as our staff’s smart phones and our NFC-enabled time management system, and so on.
We believe that the increasing percentage of care receivers paying directly for their own care will undoubtedly drive up standards in the sector, with care providers ‘upping their game’ by focusing on developing a highly professional and motivated workforce.
References
(1) “Suffolk County Council announces £38.6m of cuts”: 26 Jan 2014 (BBC News, 2014), available here.
Dr. Knight trained as a doctor at the Royal Free Hospital School of Medicine, Hampstead and University College London (UCL). He then undertook his postgraduate training in Internal Medicine, based in north west London, and is currently working full time as a Registrar in Respiratory Medicine, at the Barnet General Hospital. His main interests are Asthma and allergy and he is currently studying part time for a Masters degree in Allergy, at Imperial College London. Dr. Matthew Knight is the co-founder and non-executive director of Hampstead-based Penrose Care, a provider of home care services in London to the elderly – including to persons with dementia – and to non-elderly adults with physical and/or learning disabilities.
Penrose Care is proud to be only one of three Accredited Living Wage Employers in the London home care sector out of over 1,000 agencies. Penrose Care provides short care at home visits, day sitting, night services including sleepovers, and live-in care services.