Suffolk: County council’s adult care services to be moved to new organisation

They moved to an Industrial and Provident Society (IPS) called Leading Lives at the start of July.

This is a similar organisation to that running the county’s library service.

Leading Lives is now responsible for running day centres for adults with learning difficulties throughout Suffolk and it is also responsible for arranging respite help for family carers of some clients.

It also helps to support some others who are able to live largely independent lives.

The IPS is owned and run by staff who have been transferred from the county council – and most clients will not have noticed any difference in the way their care is provided.

Staff in the new enterprise hope to develop community support. This will include opening up building services for use of local community groups during evenings and weekends.

As an employee-owned enterprise, all staff will have the opportunity to be stakeholders of the company and vote on key issues relating to its delivery and development.

Managing director Tony Carr said: “The only difference in the first instance is the name, but over time this new organisation should be able to develop services.

“We hope to be able to provide services to more people who want to use direct payments to buy in our help. This is a very exciting development.”

As well as running day centres for those with learning difficulties, Leading Lives also runs two day centres used by older people.

In all it has between 700 and 800 clients across the county and supports a further 260 families with respite care.

Mr Carr said: “It is important for our clients that they know the people who are providing care for them – but the development opportunities this will present makes this a very exciting time for us.”

The new organisation continues to operate out of the same 18 locations across Suffolk as it did when it was part of the county council’s own structure until the start of this month.