ADVERTISING FEATURE
IT’S A MATCH! A new platform piloted in West Sussex could revolutionise the way that home care is delivered. Hanna Prince finds out more about CareMatch
W
hen you find yourself in need of home care, it can often happen suddenly. That’s why CareMatch, an innovative new platform that connects clients directly with local carers, is such an effective idea. CareMatch is the
brainchild of Anne Marie Perry, the owner-manager of home care services agency Abicare. It’s based on a deep understanding of the problems facing more traditional care models – not just the lack of guidance and signposting for those who find themselves urgently in need of home care, but also the difficulty of coordinating teams of carers, pay rates that fail to reflect responsibility levels, and high staff turnover within the industry. “With CareMatch, we want to change the world of care,” explains Anne Marie Perry. “My aim was to create teams of hyper-local carers so you’ll always be able to find a carer if you need one. I also wanted to pay carers more without increasing rates for customers and move away from the ‘time and task’ model to offer a person-
centred service that can really deliver outcomes.” The platform assigns ‘care hubs’ to individual clients. Each hub includes carers engaged to work for that client, as well as family members and others with an interest in their care. There are some significant advantages to this approach – not only can flexible rotas be negotiated without going through an intermediary, but families are kept closely informed and the community-based concept means that carers will have local knowledge that can benefit their clients. Cutting out coordinating costs also results in carers being paid more – although each community has a clinical lead to offer support and help
Underlying Care Match is a strong appreciation of both clients’ and carers’ needs
with any issues. Underlying CareMatch is a strong appreciation of both clients’ and carers’ needs - insights drawn from Abicare’s long experience of domiciliary care provision. Abicare has been offering home care services for more than 30 years. The company expanded its community support offering during the
coronavirus crisis, easing the pressure on hospitals by delivering five ‘care hotels’. “We understand that if you’re a care provider then you need to engage and we’re constantly thinking about what we can be doing to make it a better care world,” says Anne Marie. CareMatch is a continuation of that pioneering philosophy. The platform has been piloted successfully in West Sussex since late 2019 and launched nationwide in April. While local authorities can’t currently contract through CareMatch, it’s possible to use a personal budget granted by your local authority to fund care through the service. l CareMatch Limited Visit www.carematch.ltd to find out more and sign up.
info@carematch.ltd 07562 601622
May 2021 | SUSSEX LIVING 21
