Ernie Clark. Hilperton Division, Wiltshire Council.

WC pledges to make a difference.
The pledge follows the recent BBC Panorama programme that raised questions about the quality of home care in other parts of the country.

The council, which spends around £10m working with partners to provide high quality home care, believes people get a good quality of service in Wiltshire. It also, with the help of key partners, including service users in the voluntary sector, regularly audits its levels of service and this will continue.

Social care chiefs are committed to making the service as good as possible and would like to hear from anyone who believes the standard of care they are receiving could be improved or who has any concerns after watching the Panorama programme. People can contact the council's dedicated social care helpdesk on 0300 456 0111.

To help ensure high quality of care the council provides care partners with around £200,000 a year to provide training for the many dedicated care workers who help people in Wiltshire on daily basis.

Dedicated care workers help people with a wide range of tasks including helping in the home with domestic tasks such as washing, cleaning and cooking.

A recent survey of 413 people who receive care in Wiltshire found that 93 per cent were satisfied with the service they receive and 66 per cent were very or extremely satisfied. Nine out of ten people surveyed said they always or nearly always saw the same care worker and said they had a good or excellent relationship with their care worker. The council will continue to strive to improveg upon the quality of care.

Sue Redmond, director of community services, said: "We are committed to providing safe, high-quality home care for people in Wiltshire.

"By working closely with our partners to provide high-quality home care we help people to continue to live safely in their own homes where they remain part of the local community.

"This survey underlines our commitment to providing the best service to local people but should people have any questions about their care we would urge them to contact our dedicated care help line on 0300 456 0111."

Brian Warwick, chairman of Wiltshire & Swindon Users Network, said: "We are pleased with the attention the council is giving to ensure the level of home care is of a high quality, we are working in close partnership with the council in identifying even further ways of improving and monitoring services. We need to emphasise that feedback of any concerns from service users or their families and friends is essential to achieving the right quality of home care in Wiltshire."

My late mother received differing service when we had reason to pay for 'care' and it is an issue that I intend to keep a close eye on, and ensure that our vulnerable elderly are not exploited by private service providers.