As part of a review of homecare services Westmorland and Furness Council is asking people to share their experiences of receiving homecare.

A questionnaire is available to complete online until 14 July.

The council is asking about what works well, what needs to be improved and what is most important in giving people a good experience of homecare.

The questionnaire is just one part of a bigger project that has been gathering the views of service users, social care providers, councillors and other organisations working in this sector.

Through its contracts with independent social care providers, each year the council spends around £10 million providing homecare to nearly 1,000 people in Westmorland and Furness, including older and disabled people and those with mental health support needs. The support they receive ranges from essential home support services, through to medication provision and more complex care and support needs that may require several visits a day. This support allows people to stay living independently in their own homes for as long as possible.

Cllr Patricia Bell, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, said:

“We know that for most people, being able to continue living in their own home for as long as possible is what they want. Homecare helps people do that and there are hundreds of wonderful staff across our area, out and about every day, providing that vital care in people’s homes.

“We want to make sure that the way we are providing, and commissioning, homecare really is meeting people’s needs in a way that makes them feel properly supported and cared for. That’s why we really want to hear about the experiences people have had, good and bad, so we can make the right decisions for how we provide homecare in future.

“I’d really encourage people to get online and share their views via the questionnaire.”