By Leah Conway –
Kirklees independent care sector could be boosted by a £119,000 investment under new proposals, which go to the cabinet next week.
Kirklees Council and NHS Kirklees Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) aim to support the independent care sector in Kirklees collaboratively.
If the new proposals are approved, the ‘Kirklees Care Association’ would provide the independent care sector with a voice in the market. The aim is to enable better working relations between the council, CCG, The Kirklees Care Association aims and Integrated Care System.
The investment would be used to form a business structure for the Kirklees Care Association and to support two years of operating costs.
The Kirklees Care Association would aim to develop opportunities to support and encourage care quality development and management across the sector in Kirklees.
This includes developing sector-wide digital innovations & system support and improving staff recruitment, retention, training and development.
Read more: Proposed strategy tackles access to services inequalities for Kirklees residents
Sustain the care sector
Councillor Musarrat Khan, Cabinet Member for Health and Social Care said: “The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the care sector across Kirklees and we know that longer-term national reform is needed to sustain the sector. We must act immediately to prevent further damage to an already fragile independent market in the borough.
“We need to support our local providers so that they can continue to provide good quality care for some of our most vulnerable residents in Kirklees. Through these proposals, we hope to strengthen the existing Kirklees Care Association and see that we have the right people, in the right numbers to provide safe and effective care for those who need it.”