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1240/5/1(218)
APPROVED
WRITTEN QUESTION TO THE MINISTER FOR HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES BY DEPUTY G.P. SOUTHERN OF ST. HELIER
ANSWER TO BE TABLED ON TUESDAY 18TH APRIL 2017
Question
What assessment has the Minister undertaken, as a commissioner of home care services, into the use of zero-hours contracts, the absence of payment for travel time and the use of split shifts, on the quality and safety of the care delivered by home care agencies for which he has responsibility; and if none, will he consult on this matter with those responsible for assessment of need in his adult social work department?
Answer
My Department does not commission home care provision; clients who receive funding from HSSD or the Long-Term Care Scheme can choose to have their home care provided by one of the Approved Providers.
All Approved Providers are subject to a robust and rigorous application process to ensure that they meet the required standards of care and quality assurance. Thereafter, they are subject to an annual inspection. As part of this process, employers and employees are subject to surveys and any employee can raise a concern which would instigate a visit. These visits may be pre-notified or the Quality Assurance Officer may choose to visit without notice.
Issues such as contracts of employment, working patterns and travel time are matters for the individual home care agencies, provided that they comply with the law (in particular employment law). As part of the annual inspections, the Quality Assurance Officer checks that staff receive the minimum wage and that terms and conditions of employment are legal.