PLANS for a new home care service are being considered in Caerphilly county borough as demand increases ‘month by month’, councillors have heard.

Care At Home would provide domiciliary and respite care for adults and children, while boosting service capacity to meet future demand and minimising disruption to existing recipients of care.

Caerphilly council commissions more than 12,000 hours of domiciliary care a week, with support provided by in-house staff and external providers.

A report says the overall value of commissioned home care, including the respite sitting service, stood at £7.3 million in January.

Dave Street, director of social services, told cabinet members last week: “These new arrangements for the future commissioning of external domiciliary care are long overdue.

“We’re in a pretty difficult situation. Demand for domiciliary care increases month on month, and the nation market is extremely fragile.”

In 2015/16, a review by the Care and Social Services Inspectorate Wales identified a ‘serious lack of capacity’ which came at a ‘high cost’ for individuals, families and public authorities.

An agreement between Caerphilly council and nine care providers expired last November, during which time Mihomecare terminated its contract after finding its service was ‘unsustainable’.

The remaining providers have agreed to extend existing arrangements while the new plan, which was supported by cabinet, is being drawn up.

“When you do this type of exercise you can find yourself faced with sizeable changes, so we’re approaching this extremely carefully. said Mr Street.

“Vulnerable people could lose companies and carers they’ve worked with for a long time, and that is extremely harmful to individuals.”

Under the proposals existing providers would retain the hours they have at the point of tendering, and only new hours would be brokered to Care At Home.

But the council says the new arrangements would cost significantly more than current costs, due in part to the increase in the National Living Wages and state pensions.

Despite this the plans were welcomed by Councillor Carl Cuss, cabinet member for social care and wellbeing.

“The health, social care and wellbeing scrutiny committee was very supportive of our in-house provision and plans to not reduce it any further,” said Cllr Cuss.

“My ambition is the bring in more in-house providers, and it’s very important to get a hold of home care going forward.”

Councillor Barbara Jones, cabinet member for finance, added: “I’m pleased with how we are dealing with this in a very sensitive manner. It’s vital that we minimise any disruption.”