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Fraser Health home support will soon be provided in-house

Currently Fraser Health directly manages only 37 per cent of home support services
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Home support clients within Fraser Health will now have their care directly managed by the health authority.

The change is being made because contracts with external service providers for home support services are set to expire in March 2020.

Home support is provided by community health workers who help people live independently and safely in their home by providing assistance with daily living activities such as bathing, dressing and grooming and other care needs as well as support and relief for a client’s primary caregiver.

Currently, depending on the community, there are some services provided by the health authority and some by contracted staff.

More than 24,500 people receive home support services annually in the communities represented by Fraser Health and Vancouver Coastal Health.

Fraser Health currently provides 37 per cent of home support services in-house, and will move to approximately 90 per cent, beginning that transition in the coming weeks with a targeted completion in the next 12 months.

By making this transition, both the Fraser Health and Vancouver Coastal Health Authorities believe that there will be improved coordination of care for seniors with the ability to better track and manage a complex service delivery model. The transition also will allow for the opportunity to create integrated teams where staff interacting with clients will be connected and be able to work collaboratively to meed the client’s needs.

The changes follow audits of contracted home support providers, both for-profit and not-for-profit, undertaken last summer by both health authorities that examined varying periods between 2014 and 2017.

The Ministry of Health appointed Lynn Stevenson, the ministry’s former associate deputy health services, to provide oversight and guide the transition process.

“We will work closely with the unions and contracted service providers to ensure a smooth transition,” said Tasleem Juma with Fraser Health, adding that they have sent all current home support clients information by mail regarding the change.

For more information call 1-855-412-2121 or go to fraserhealth.ca/homesupport.



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Colleen Flanagan

About the Author: Colleen Flanagan

I got my start with Black Press Media in 2003 as a photojournalist.
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