Carers' travel time causes complications

Published on Tuesday 13 January 2009 09:31

HOME carers' travel time is not taken into account while scheduling jobs by the council because it would cause too many complications.

That was the message from the city's social care leader after a question from Edinburgh's Green Party.

Cllr Maggie Chapman asked why the time taken to go between elderly and frail patients' homes was not considered following complaints from home helps.

They said that sometimes much of the time allocated for a person to be washed and fed was taken up travelling, meaning service users were shortchanged and carers were finding it difficult to keep time.

But Cllr Paul Edie said good management and planned modernisation should ensure these problems did not arise.

"Travelling time has never been specifically recorded in the scheduling system as that would cause complications in the charging for services," the Lib Dem said.

"Service charges to clients include an element for travelling time. However, home care organisers are instructed to allow sufficient time between clients for travel.

"As part of home care modernisation a number of measures are being introduced that will improve scheduling and decrease travel time."