Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
DDC information *****************
WHITE CLIFFS CARELINE TRANSFERS
TO SHEPWAY LIFELINE
Following extensive consultation, Dover District Council is now able to confirm that Shepway's Lifeline service will be the successful alternative provider for its Careline customers. All customers have been informed of the change to the service.
Dover District Council has decided to close its own community alarm service, White Cliffs Careline, on 31 March, and following a competitive process, Shepway District Council were chosen to take over a lifeline service for the 1,554 customers in Dover District.
Cllr Mrs Sue Nicholas, Portfolio Holder for Strategic Housing, Local Authority Housing, Landlord Policy and Tenant Affairs at Dover District Council, said the decision had been made after extensive consultation with customers.
"Our customers told us they wanted a local provider, no increase in costs, the same level of care and an organisation with the same values as Dover District Council, all of which has been achieved by the move to Shepway. I am very pleased that our work with Shepway responds to all our customers' wishes."
Three and a half thousand elderly and vulnerable people already use Shepway's Lifeline, which offers a 24-hour alarm service through a pendant worn around the neck. When activated, the pendant triggers a call to Lifeline staff who alert a named person who can then check on the pendant wearer and, if necessary, call the emergency services.
As part of the move, staff from Dover will transfer to the Lifeline centre in Folkestone to enable the service to cope with the extra new customers.
Cllr Keren Belcourt, Shepway Council's Cabinet Member for Housing, said: "I am delighted that Shepway will be providing this service to vulnerable people in the Dover area. This work is a natural extension of the services that we already provide to many residents in Shepway and across Kent."
- ends -
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
Well this looks like a DDC cutback in action. No doubt the local people using the current Careline service, 1,554 in all, will be pleased to have an alternative to take its place. But if this was a newspaper now I would like to research and report just how happy these LOCAL users are at this change.To lose a highly local service for a Kentwide one will upset some Im sure.
Folkestone must have a fatal attraction as everyone's going there.
Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
you beat me to it paul,i was about to say it sounds like outsourseing to me.but there again are the ddc having a clear out.its the people who are on the careline service i feel sorry for.
PaulB hits the nail on the head. Whatever spin is put on this it is moving local services to unfamiliar territory. My own experience of this kind of thing confirmed for me that local knowledge is absolutely priceless when it comes to this sort of service provision. Folkestone is relatively local, but there is no substitute for real local knowledge and insight.
Guest 645- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 4,463
Sue states
"Our customers told us they wanted a local provider, no increase in costs, the same level of care and an organisation with the same values as Dover District Council, all of which has been achieved by the move to Shepway. I am very pleased that our work with Shepway responds to all our customers' wishes."
Am I right in assuming that these 'customers' all happily agreed to the services being moved to Shepway. I very much doubt it.
Hello my name is Jack Muggins I'm 99 yrs young and I think its a very good idea for the DDC to move the Careline services to Shepway via Folkestone.
C'mon what do you take us all for!!
At least have the decency to tell the truth that its a reduction in services and a cost cutting exercise.For Gawds sake don't blame the poor old clients and users of the service.
Also Brian quite rightly mentions the staff they must also love being told that they now have to traipse to work in Folkestone by using the bus, own car or rail (when operating and not closed for tunnel widening,heightening.lighting, a time time dig or searching for a long lost ounce of common sense).
"I am very pleased" Sue continues"..that all our work corresponds with customers needs"
Strike a light ...
Marek
I think therefore I am (not a Tory supporter)
Guest 651- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 5,673
It is what is being pushed for in local authorities to merge services to save costs...shared services that are being encourages everywhere.
Chances are that is it quite a costly services to run what basically amounts to a call centre to link an alarm to a contact telephone number so no local knowledge is really needed. I am also sure that the installation is done by an outside contractor and then manned by people in an office as part of other responsibilities.
Been nice knowing you :)
Local knowledge is not just needed but vital. Local people know the nuance of the transport systems, the neighbours, the roads, and have connections with the local services. All the things that are not factored in when new services are being planned, and why they soemtimes fail.
Guest 651- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 5,673
As far as I am aware, this is just a call centre, the staff won't be required to go out in emergencies ??
Though the point above is that some staff are moving so there will be local knowledge transferred.
Been nice knowing you :)
They don't go out, but they can guide services and advise about local issues, same as 999 call centres do - they don't go out either!!!!!!
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
that was spin of the highest order.
what method was used to find out the views of the customers of the careline.?
Guest 651- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 5,673
The major point is that costs are escallating and either services are cut or council tax goes up. A combined service with joint buying power, more staff resilience and at a lower cost surely must be a good thing ?
This is bound to be picked up by the local rags and made a mountain out of a mole hill!! I live in Deal, and know Dover, Thanet, Canterbury, Folkestone, Ashford quite well and I am sure that safety won't be compromised by a call centre moving 5 miles down the road !
Been nice knowing you :)
Sue probably asked her family and people on the bus like she did about the screen
Guest 648- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 258
Those residents who are classed as private will find the service is 50 pence cheaper per week .Our residents in sheltered schemes will still have a housing officer who will respond if a call out is necessary .
Shepway also provide services which DDC did not provide It has been known for some months that Care line would close at the end of this finacial year .
We were going to close it a couple of years ago. we tried marketing the product but by choice some DDC residemts had already switched to Shepway .
The girls who are transferring will be able to pass on any local knowledge required .
Shepway was the nearest provider and ticked all the right boxwes /.
I do hope the changeover works, I think this is the service that my mother uses.
I was happy to see that radio Caroline was not closing down, at first glance that is what I thought i saw on the title ! ( I listen most days to this station and it always reminds me of Dover)
Brian Dixon- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
50p hardly enough to buy a loaf of bread is it.besides what can you get for 50p these days.
Guest 651- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 5,673
Sue - what is the saving to 'us' as I am sure that is a service that costs the taxpayer ?
Been nice knowing you :)
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
Paul I noticed in a couple of your recent postings you were showing concern about Council Tax and possible rises of same in relation to services. In these dire financial times who would blame you showing concern.
But this is a question of political philosophy. Yes its all about politics.
If you are a Labourite you wont mind paying a bit extra in taxes so as to preserve the services needed to keeep society flowing for the needier.
If you are a Conservative you will like more freedom to chose what to do with your own money, will not want higher taxes, so will be prepared to cut sevices.
That about sums up where we are in all this stuff.. you pays your money and takes your choice, as the man at the dodgy fairground gamble used to say.
From a personal point of view I dont like to see services cut particularly in Dover. Dover seems to be struggling at the moment to hold itself together as a town, what with community newspapers leaving and what have you, our identity doesnt seem to count for much. Loss of services makes the place that bit less of a whole community. Everything comes to us via Folkestone.
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
PaulB I was a member of DDC when the White Cliffs Care Line was launched. It was a project introduced by a Conservative Council and it is very sad to see it go.
Your characterisation of Conservative and Labour attitudes has a basis of truth but it is far too simplistic. Conservatives believe in good well run public services providing value for money and yes, we do not believe in taking any more in taxation than we really have to.
Also, we believe that the State overall should do less and leave more to the individual and individual choices and that really is the big difference with the big Government Labour Party. Big Government costs money.
It is not just a matter of wanting or not wanting to see services cut. The fact is the tax taken from people when it goes above a particular level is counter productive to economic growth and prosperity so we all suffer. The economic circumstances in which we now live, the biggest bust this century, means some very difficult choices have to be made. There must be no sacred cows and everything must be evaluated and considered to see if there are cost cutting options available. Even a project such as the White Cliffs Care Line, a project we set up and were very proud of when we did so, must be reviewed and savings options evaluated.
I am glad I am not still on DDC, it is a very difficult time. Particularly as raising Council Tax is not necessarily an option with capping in place, even if DDC wanted to. DDC is a well run Council that unlike the Mayor of London does not have much by way of fat to cut.
Guest 651- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 5,673
Paul - I am a nothing-ite !!! I do however see the pressures on councils from the inside, and unfortunatley if they don't play game and try to make things work and share services, it is highly likely that councils will be forced together. Just look at how fuel costs have escallated over the past few years and how this has had to be managed within the council tax capped increases.
There are already many joint services in action, between Ashford and Canterbury, Dover and Thanet, Dover and Shepway, Ashford and Maidstone......
Been nice knowing you :)
