Councillors hear calls to rethink Carelink closure

An Extraordinary General Meeting of the Full Council took on Thursday 3rd July to debate the future of the Carelink service following the council's decision to close it in September. 

A Conservative motion seeking to delay the closure until a like-for-like replacement was in place was defeated by 22 votes to 11, with three abstentions.  

Following the meeting, High Peak Borough Council issued the following statement:   

“The difficult decision to close the Carelink alarm care service has been discussed by councillors at the first meeting of the Carelink Working Group this week and at a Full Council meeting last night.  

The Carelink Working Group was set up with cross party membership, to work alongside an internal Carelink Project Board, to manage with care and empathy the withdrawal of the service at the end of September.  

Both these meetings were required to be held in private as they discussed information relating to the financial affairs of those staff affected including the Council as the holder of that information. Councillors had previously scrutinised a recommendation to close the service at a meeting of the Community Select Committee on 20 May, before the Executive made its final decision on 11 June.  

Executive Councillor for Housing, Fiona Sloman, was present to explain that the decision was not taken lightly nor was it a decision based on the need to make financial savings. It was taken purely on issues of safeguarding.  

She explained: “The service, which is a discretionary one, involves helping vulnerable people and so safeguarding has to be the number one priority for the Council. This means meeting our legal obligations to provide a safe and robust service and delivering on our contractual requirements. This has become a critical issue for us and despite concerted efforts to improve the situation it is, sadly, worsening and therefore action needs to be taken.  

“Those contractual requirements revolve around our continuing inability to maintain adequate staffing levels. We have eight staff, but we need 20 to run a safe service. Recruitment is very challenging despite repeated attempts to recruit and retain new staff. Similar services in the private sector are chasing the same small pool of potential workers and there has been the loss of a potential workforce we could once recruit from following the UK’s withdrawal from the EU.  

“Despite this Council offering higher hourly rates than similar providers, we struggle to find staff for various reasons including the challenges of getting around the large High Peak area, the often-unsocial hours, and the need for our eight staff to do extra hours to meet customer demands which is not sustainable and potentially a dangerous situation if it leads to tired staff.  

“Unfortunately, it is a complex service to run as many other councils have found, and so I thank my fellow councillors for their valuable contributions to the working group, and hearing directly from them at last night’s meeting on their concerns and those of residents they represent about closing the service.  

“As we have said publicly and in letters to all our customers and their carers, we don’t want anyone to worry about the decision we have made. We are in the process of speaking to all our customers personally over the coming weeks to provide information about other providers of telecare services available to them that they can access and help them arrange alternative support if they need it.  

“We are equally grateful to our Carelink staff who continue to provide quality, dedicated services in difficult circumstances.”  

Following the meeting Statement from Conservative Cllr Adie Hopkinson issued the following statement:  

“I have a number of very serious concerns regarding the way this process has been handled.  

Firstly, claims that there have been difficulties in recruiting and retaining staff are questionable. Staff have contacted me to state that over the past 12 months prospective employees who wanted to apply for a post were told Carelink were not recruiting. Instead agency staff have been used at extra cost to the High Peak tax payer.     

Secondly, I believe trust is an important part in politics and when some councillors on the executive committee have claimed there is an alternative like for like service already in place, we all know there isn’t.   

There is no alternative provider who will be able to attend, if family etc, cannot be contacted. Unlike care workers attending, the buck will be passed to the over stretched ambulance service.  

The average count for falls is 73 per month, that’s approximately 2.5 per day. The falls recovery team works with Carelink to reduce the impact on both the ambulance service and the NHS.    

Has the ambulance service been consulted?  I very much doubt it as two paramedics have contacted me directly expressing their disbelief at the proposals to withdraw this service. Both told me that falls are a very low-priority call and it is not unusual for a vulnerable person to be left lying on the floor for 8 hours.  

At scrutiny committee meetings, it would be normal practice to invite the Ambulance service, NHS, Falls Recovery Team and other partners to discuss the impact on them. Why were they not invited?  

Officers have mentioned the threat of Corporate Manslaughter. Have any of the councillors opposite thought to look at the definition of that offence and the points to prove. I doubt it very much. They’ve fallen for the scaremongering.   

This decision has been taken by so few councillors in Part 2 meetings and I am concerned that this has been done to avoid scrutiny.  

It hasn’t just caused opposition from the Conservatives, but many others including some Labour councillors and I understand why - the Labour Party manifesto states they will adopt a "home first" approach, which is to support people to live independently at home for as long as possible rather than entering residential care unnecessarily.  

This decision goes against Labour Party policy and to steamroller it through and made by so few of the party opposite looks like a dictatorship and the Leadership should ask themselves “Are they honestly working for the electorate of the High Peak?”    

When the first preventable death occurs, would every councillor at the meeting this evening be able to say they were comfortable that full scrutiny and all alternative provision had been explored?  

If not, then they should support our motion to delay closure until a like for like service is in place.”  

Statement from Jon Pearce MP issued before last night’s meeting:  

“I am deeply concerned by High Peak Borough Council's decision to close the Carelink service this September.  

I've already been contacted by a number of worried residents and families who rely on Carelink every day. For many elderly, disabled and vulnerable people, this service provides far more than a telephone line – it provides reassurance, independence and, in some cases, a lifeline.  

While the Council has outlined the staffing and funding challenges behind this decision, the fact remains that there is currently no like-for-like replacement available. That will understandably cause significant anxiety for those who depend on the service.  

I have therefore requested an urgent meeting with High Peak Borough Council to seek assurances about the support that will be put in place and to ensure that no resident falls through the cracks during this transition.  

I also want to thank the dedicated Carelink staff who have supported local people for many years. Their work has been invaluable and has helped countless residents remain safe and independent in their own homes.  

I will continue to stand alongside the families affected, hold the Council to account and press for answers. If you or a loved one use Carelink and are worried about what happens next, please contact my office.”  

HPBC have confirmed that the Carelink Working Group of seven nominated councillors will continue to meet each fortnight.  

A Carelink web page includes a list of alternative alarm call and telecare providers and a set of FAQs to guide service users and their carers. It can be found at https://www.highpeak.gov.uk/Carelink-Service