DEVON County Council and its local NHS partners are set to give a vital boost to personal care services across the county, setting out new expectations for care providers in return for meeting the cost of better pay and conditions, training and qualifications where appropriate.

Despite government cuts to funding, the council and the NHS are increasing the amount they spend on personal care and support for elderly and vulnerable people in their own homes in a bid to bring greater stability to the personal care market, improve quality and raise morale among the workforce.

The contracts between Devon County Council, South Devon and Torbay Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and North East and West Devon CCG with local care providers, will begin early in the summer of 2016.

The contracts are expected to be worth more than £300 million over the next five to seven years and will mean increased investment in the care and support of very vulnerable people.

The contracts aim to bring:

• Higher quality care and support for vulnerable people

• Improved support to carers

• Better pay and conditions for care workers to boost recruitment and retention

• More training and support opportunities to make this a job and career of choice

• Greater independence for people to live their lives as fully as possible

• Greater certainty for providers so that they can plan for the future and improve their responsiveness.

The Council and the NHS arrange personal care and support for more than 4,000 people a week across the county, delivering more than two million hours of care and support to people in their own homes.

Services such as helping people to get washed and dressed, prepare a meal or take medication are a vital way to help more people to live independently at home for longer without the need for residential care or a stay in hospital.

The increased investment comes amid concern about a lack of personal care services in some areas and difficulties in attracting new workers into the personal care sector.

The new joint approach to commissioning local services aims to ensure a more stable supply of care and support and raise morale across the sector by recognising and rewarding care providers and care workers in their vital role.

A lead provider partner has been appointed in each of eight geographic areas across Devon, and they will be responsible for organising and delivering personal care services in that area including co-ordinating and supporting other local providers.

The new contracts also set out higher expectations on quality and working practices.

Frontline carers will be paid at least the national living wage as per government guidelines for all their contracted hours, including payment for travel time.

There will be improved support arrangements and more opportunities for training with a clearer career path. Improved pay and conditions for frontline care workers will extend to all sub-contracted staff.

People who are already receiving council or NHS-funded domiciliary care may continue to receive support from their current carers, under the terms of their current contracts, so long as this is meeting their needs and is effectively delivered.

The intention is to maintain stability for service users and providers whilst the new arrangements settle down.

Above all the council and the NHS want to ensure that people receive safe, high-quality care from care workers who want to provide the best care.

The new contracts have been awarded to provider partners in eight geographical zones across Devon:

• Zone 1: Bideford/Northam, Great Torrington and Holsworthy; awarded to North Devon Healthcare Trust.

• Zone 2: Ilfracombe, Lynton/Lynmouth, Barnstaple, South Molton; awarded to Northern Devon Healthcare Trust.

• Zone 3: Tiverton, Crediton, Cullompton; awarded to Northern Devon Healthcare Trust.

• Zone 4: Exeter; awarded to Mears Care Limited.

• Zone 5: Honiton, Sidmouth, Exmouth, Seaton; awarded to Mears Care Limited.

• Zone 6: Newton Abbot, Totnes, Dartmouth; awarded to Mears Care Limited.

• Zone 7: Tavistock, Ivybridge; awarded to Mears Care Limited.

• Zone 8: Okehampton, Moretonhampstead; awarded to MiHomecare Limited.