Council puts out tender for carer support service for Shropshire

Shropshire Council are seeking tenders to deliver its carer support service, to support unpaid family carers across the county.

The £320,000 fixed contract (at £160,000 per annum) will be for an initial 2-year term, with the potential to extend the contract for a further two years, subject to contract performance and budget availability.

The council is wanting to work with an organisation, or group of organisations, who can demonstrate that they understand the principles and priorities of its All Age Carers Strategy and can embed these into the design and delivery of their activities. The service being commissioned is for adults caring for other adults, and will be required to:

• Provide information, advice and signposting for carers
• Create a countywide carer network that brings together and connects individual carers and local peer support groups
• Build the confidence and capacity of carers to create and run local peer support groups for carers, and support these groups to run effectively.
• Provide one to one support to carers face to face, over the telephone or virtually
• Be an active partner of Shropshire Carers, working to support the organisations working across health and social care in Shropshire to engage with unpaid and family carers within their services and signpost them to the service
• Lead on events in Shropshire that raise awareness of the role of unpaid and family carers.

The coronavirus pandemic has had a huge impact on many unpaid family carers.

Carers UK have reported that, nationally, 4.5 million more people have become unpaid or family carers since the start of the pandemic, and seven million people are juggling work with unpaid care. Carers UK findings highlight that the physical and mental health of unpaid carers is deteriorating through lack of support, and that unpaid carers are twice as likely as the average person to be relying on foodbanks during lockdown.

Dean Carroll, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for adult social care, public health and climate change, said:

“We are committed to ensuring that the right support is available for carers in Shropshire and wish to recommission our carer support service to help enable this.

“We recognise the extra demands that have been placed on unpaid and family carers across Shropshire during these difficult times and the impact this may have on people’s mental and physical health. Many of our carers will have provided more support for the people they care for, often without additional help.

“Providing the right support for carers is critical, so they are able to maintain their own health and wellbeing.

“We have had a range of conversations with carers of people with a wide range of conditions, both through the carer review undertaken in 2019 and further engagement this year, and we want to thank everyone for taking the time to share their views, concerns and ideas. Their feedback has been instrumental in shaping and developing the requirements and conditions for our future carer support service.”

The successful provider will be able to demonstrate that they understand how to work in a people-centred and community based way, and proactively work with carers, the council and other groups and organisations to develop and provide preventative and early support.

Further information on this carer support service tender and to apply, visit Shropshire Council’s website.

Closing date for tender submissions is Thursday 15 October 2020.

Further information

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