People needing social care in Surrey are being left at risk of harm because of staff shortages, care providers say.

Surrey Care Association (SCA) said 74% of homecare providers could not take on new care packages and 80% of carers worked extra hours.

The figures are included in a letter the SCA sent to Surrey County Council, who it wants to lobby the Government to let migrant workers fill vacancies.

SCC said: “We’re working to support providers to recruit.”

The SCA letter said: “Our members tell us there is an acute recruitment and retention crisis and they are facing unprecedented pressures following eighteen incredibly difficult months.”

Last month, the Care Quality Commission called for immediate work to address the rising problem of unfilled care sector jobs.

In a survey of it’s members in October, the SCA found that 29% of providers said some shifts were not fully staffed.

It also said that almost half of residential care or nursing home members said they had closed some beds as a result of staffing problems.

According to the BBC’s Local Democracy Reporting Service, the letter said 899 vacancies remained unfilled in Surrey.

It also said the situation had “a direct impact on people living in Surrey requiring social care and support”.

It added that some “may be unable to get the help they need, putting pressure on families and leaving people at risk of harm”.

The SCA’s CEO, Rebecca Pritchard, said if someone was left without a care package they would be forced to rely on an unpaid carer.
She said: “This puts a huge amount of stress on the relatives” and it could “impact on their health, and their wellbeing”.

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A notorious offender has been given a Criminal Behaviour Order aimed to curb her offending in Crawley.

Sussex Police applied for the order against Katie Hicks, which was granted by Crawley Magistrates’ Court on Thursday 11 October.
Hicks, 33, of no fixed address – who has 26 previous convictions for 68 offences – has been found guilty of committing many acquisitive crimes including shoplifting and theft from unattended motor vehicles. This order will be welcome news for both the victims of Hicks’ crimes, the residents of Crawley and the business community.

The two-year Criminal Behaviour Order prohibits her from the following:

Sitting / laying / loitering along any residential roads in the area of Crawley, between 6pm and 6am each day.

Sitting / laying / loitering in any car park complex within the borough of Crawley.

Entering any commercial / retail premises in Crawley or Gatwick, when you have been banned from that premises by the owner / occupier or other person acting on behalf of the owner / occupier, of such premises. This includes all members of the Crawley and Gatwick Business Watch scheme.

Remaining on any commercial / retail premises or medical establishments within Crawley, if you are asked to leave by any owner / occupier or other person acting on behalf of the owner / occupier of such premises.

Entering the area of County Oak Retail Park, Acorn Retail Park or Crawley town.

PCSO Kieran Chappell, of the Crawley and Mid Sussex Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: “We are pleased to have obtained this Criminal Behaviour Order for Katie Hicks. The behaviour of Hicks has been causing significant loss and harm to both the residents and businesses of Crawley for a considerable period of time.
“This order will further assist Sussex Police in tackling her offending, preventing further loss and safeguarding our community.<

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West Sussex County Council’s Cabinet has approved proposals that will enable two adult social care services in the county to be provided more effectively and help manage growing demand.

Cabinet members took the decisions as part of the county council’s priority commitment to support people to live independently for longer, minimising the need for long-term services while making the best use of resources.

This includes moving away from costly under-used residential and day centre buildings to developing support closer to where people live, including in their own homes, maximising the capacity to support vulnerable people.

The two proposals being taken forward are:

1. To improve short-term care services in the Chichester and Bognor Regis areas, building on the success of a scheme which supports people in their own homes on discharge from hospital. We will also continue to offer short-term residential care through existing contracts with care providers, rather than a stay in a Marjorie Cobby House, a council-owned residential home in Selsey.
2. To provide more flexibility and choice to older people and their families looking for day services, including respite care and community activities across West Sussex.

In a statement the council says:

As part of these proposals, a decision was taken to close Marjorie Cobby House and six Shaw Healthcare day services, ensuring alternative support is provided more effectively and sustainably.

The decisions do not reduce services available to people, but instead offer support and care to people in alternative ways which still meets the individual needs of residents.

The decisions reflect the change in demand and the need to ensure that services are cost effective. This is critical as demographic pressures continue to increase across adult social care. The efficient use of all available resources will also help protect other vital services.

Cllr Amanda Jupp, Cabinet Member for Adults’ Services, said: “It is important that our services continue to meet and reflect the needs of those who use them.

“I truly believe that these decisions are in the best interests of people living in West Sussex, but I also acknowledge that they may not please everyone,” added Cllr Jupp.

Subject to both decisions clearing the county council’s normal ‘call-in’ period (25 November) then work will begin to implement them.
The full decision reports on the futures of Marjorie Cobby House and Shaw Healthcare Older People Day Services are also available on the county council’s website.

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A Surrey Police officer has appeared in court accused of perverting the course of justice and fraud.

It is alleged Amanda Aston, 42, provided false and misleading information during a criminal investigation into a sergeant.
Ms Aston, from Seaford, East Sussex, appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday.

She was not asked to enter pleas to any of the charges, and her case was adjourned to Maidstone Crown Court.
Ms Aston is charged with two counts of perverting the course of justice and one of fraud in Guildford between September 2017 and June 2018.
She allegedly provided false and misleading information to police in September 2017 in connection with a probe into whether Sgt Matthew Taylor had committed a crime.

Ms Aston is also accused of encouraging Sgt Taylor to breach his bail conditions, and providing false and misleading information in connection with an investigation between September 2017 and March 2018.

The fraud charge alleges the officer made a false representation to the Surrey Police welfare fund, which offers financial help to serving and retired officers and staff, in June 2018.

She is said to have claimed the behaviour of Sgt Taylor “had caused financial hardship”.

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