Changes to social care services won't mean closures

Social Care Minister Chris Robertshaw says plans to have non-profit organisations running services currently provided by his department WON’T mean closures.

Last week staff were consulted about proposed changes, and a copy of a document outlining which services the department hopes to contract out has now leaked.

It says domiciliary care services, Ingledene, Southlands, Cummal Mooar, Reart ny Baie and many other adult day services could all be run by non-profits in the next five years.

Mr Robertshaw says the services will expand because demand for them will only go up – but he hopes to externalise them because government can’t afford to run them itself: