Better Access to Care Services for People in Leicester and
Leicestershire
System Associates launch Adult Social Care web marketplace in
Leicester and Leicestershire.
Choosemysupport.org.uk is an exciting and innovative new way of
delivering personalised services launched jointly by Leicester City
and Leicestershire County Councils. The new website offers more
choice and control to people receiving social care looking for
support, products and services.
www.choosemysupport.org.uk
offers a comprehensive menu of services and products ranging from
accommodation and domestic help to local transport and activities.
Over 400 services are already registered on the site and this
number will grow rapidly over the next few months.
Choosemysupport.org.uk will greatly improve the choice, price and
range of services available to the people of Leicester and
Leicestershire.
The service is a successful collaboration between two local
authorities and uses a new technology called Assist which has been
developed by System Associates Ltd. The councils and System
Associates have widely consulted with service users, providers and
professionals throughout the development of the website.
Service user Karen Kidd commented: "We are very pleased with the
developments so far. There is a good catalogue of services and
products and we can engage with providers over the internet to
request quotes or buy services. This is only the first stage of the
transformation and we hope to have even more information about
services and prices so we can determine what will work best for
us."
Tony Dailide, Assistant Director, Adults and Communities
Department at Leicestershire County Council, says: "This is an
excellent example of how two local authorities have worked
effectively with System Associates. We have taken advantage of the
regional funding from Regional Efficiency and Improvement Programme
(REIP) which has enabled us to create a really cost effective
solution that will empower adults looking for social care support
and service in Leicestershire."
Claire Simpson, Director at System Associates who developed the
system added: "A major objective of Choosemysupport.org.uk, with
its reviews and comparison tools, is to ensure that providers are
more competitive and engage professionally with their customers. It
also highlights any gaps in the market place.
"To ensure we are completely in tune with the end users' needs
we have established a focus group of local disabled people and
their carers. Together they really help us develop the best
framework for their needs."
The new system Assist allows authorities to select functionality
from a fixed price list so there are no hidden costs. They are also
able to offer a genuinely true marketplace through added
functionality such as Buy, Request a Quote or Request a Call Back
from a specific provider. Users are also able to rate the services
they have received.
Claire concludes: "Assist delivers a fully integrated adult
social care system that meets the needs of the personalisation
agenda, delivers efficiencies to local authorities and, most
importantly, provides an excellent service to end users."
