A MAJOR provider of homecare services is to withdraw from the Fermanagh area, impacting hundreds of local users.
The Western Trust has stressed it is working to minimise that impact.
North West Care is one of three independent providers of homecare contracted by the Trust in Lisnaskea, Irvinestown and Enniskillen areas. It has been providing care in the area for the past eight years, but it has informed the Trust it will not be extending its contract beyond November.
The Trust has said it has been in touch with all users effected, and is “making arrangements to ensure that we are able to continue to accommodate North West Care service users going forward.”
“Whilst this decision is beyond the control of the Trust, we would like to reassure all our service users of our commitment to their assessed care provision by implementing the Trust’s contractual management plans for homecare provision,” said Dr Maura O’Neill, Trust director of Community and Older People’s Services. “This means that the two other independent providers Care Plus and Lakeland Community Care have engaged with the Trust in this process.
“The Trust is therefore working with all three providers and will implement the transfer of homecare provision in the areas on a phased basis throughout the next number of months.
“By working in partnership with the Fermanagh homecare providers and with the community social work teams, the Trust is committed to ensuring that as far as possible the needs of our homecare service users continue to be met.”
Dr O’Neill added, “It is important that we highlight that while individual service users currently supported by North West Care will experience a change in homecare provider, there will be adjustments required to the wider homecare provision as services are reorganised to accommodate this change in these areas.
“We have therefore communicated with all service users in the affected areas to inform them of this change and how it may affect them.”
Shauna Irwin, nurse operations manager at North West Care, said the company had “an excellent working relationship” with the Trust and added, “There are exceptional homecare providers in the area who are actively working with us in the transitional arrangements and we thank them for their cooperation.”