Plans to outsource some care services does not mean privatisation, the Social Care Minister insisted in Tynwald.
Chris Robertshaw was grilled over his department’s plans to transfer the management of residential homes to not-for-profit social enterprises.
Bill Henderson (Douglas North) asked what plans he had to ‘remove’ responsibility for two of the largest government-run residential care homes - Reayrt ny Baie and Cummal Mooar – and how many beds would be lost as a result.
The Minister replied his department had no plans to ‘remove’ these homes. He said neither met latest acceptable standards in terms of the size of their bedrooms, the lack or size of ensuite facilities and the number of bedrooms - and so would be unlikely to meet criteria for new registration.
He said his department was to submit a business case to replace both homes with new-build facilities on new sites.
Brenda Cannell (Douglas East) asked him to define what he meant by ‘externalisation of public services’.
He replied: ‘By externalisation we do not mean privatisation.’ The Minister explained the aim was to change from a ‘directly provided by service to a commissioned by service’.
Only the management would be outsourced to a social enterprise, an organisation which would be obliged to reinvest any profits it made back into developing the service for the benefit of the community.
By retaining ownership of the properties, government would reduce the risk should a social enterprise fail, he explained. ‘Should a new provider fail we do not have the luxury of neighbouring authorities who can assist and therefore it is prudent to have the facility to take over a service until a new provider can be found.
Pressed on whether the existing units at Reayrt ny Baie and Cummal Mooar would be sold off, Mr Robertshaw said it would be up to government to decide what to do with the redundant buildings.
He said there would be ‘marginal’ changes in bed spaces. Reayrt ny Baie and the Sweetbriar unit between them contain 61 bedrooms and the draft business case for a new facility in Douglas, which will bring residential and EMI residential services back together, specifies 60 bedrooms.
Cummal Mooar currently provides 49 bedrooms while the draft business care specifies 45 beds, he added.
Mr Robertshaw was asked for assurances that staff transferred to the new providers would keep their existing terms and conditions. He said it was too early to give a definitive answer but added it was the department’s intention all staff would transfer to ensure continuity of care.
