7/3/23

A new initiative to improve the capacity of the city's domiciliary care support service is boosting the health and wellbeing of some of the city's most essential workers, as well as helping tackle the climate emergency.

The Council's electric bike grant funding scheme for care workers has been hailed as a resounding success with those taking part feeling happier and fitter, as well as financially better off, having to spend less money on fuel.

With funding from Welsh Government, the Council invited care providers across the city to apply for grants to purchase electric bikes for staff to travel between clients' homes.  A total of £41,000 was awarded to 14 domiciliary care providers in the city to buy 41 bikes for their staff.

Care providers who took part in the scheme reported that they could  increase the number of care calls they could make  due to reduced travel times between clients, and more services were being delivered on time, with a positive impact on those individuals receiving care and support. Some providers also said the scheme had a positive impact on staff retention.

The Council is about to launch a third electric bike grant funding scheme due to the success of the first two and in addition it is developing a driving lesson scheme, that will provide financial support to pay for care workers to learn to drive, covering the cost oflessons, a provisional driving licence and both the theory and practical test, up to the value of £570.

Cabinet Member for Social Services (Adult Services), Cllr Norma Mackie, said: "Care workers deliver some of our most essential services day in day out, keeping vulnerable people in our communities safe.  However, with the cost of living pressures we're experiencing, we recognised that costs offuel presented a significant challenge to domiciliary care providers, impacting on recruitment and retention of care workers.

"When funding became available from Welsh Government, we devised these schemes in consultation with our partner providers to help tackle some of these challenges and we are delighted with how successful the schemes have been.

"Overall, providers reported a positive impact on employees' well-being and feel that additional e-bikes and driving lessons would support the domiciliary service further."

James Dwyer, Managing Director of Pineshield Health and Social Care Services, said: "We set up a bike scheme a few months earlier than the electric bike grant from the Council was announced. This was to support our care workers with an economical and practical way of getting from call to call.

"We also recognise the environmental and wellbeing aspects ofusing bikes instead of cars. Cardiff Council's e-bike grant really gave our scheme a boost. Our care workers who received a grant were really pleased and I believe it has helped them feel more valued.

"As a social care provider in Cardiff we really appreciate working in partnership with the Council to make a positive improvement to how care is provided andtosupport those working hard to deliver that care."

Pineshield care workerThuchira, said: "I really appreciate this grant from Cardiff Council to get an e-bike and for Pineshield to have the vision of setting up a bike scheme. I wouldn't have been able to afford it otherwise.

"I use it now to go from call to call and I feel fitter and happier. Surprisingly for me, it is even faster in many circumstances than driving."

The Council is committed to delivering the best possible services to all those who receive care in the city and developed the Cardiff Cares Academy to provide training, support and mentoring to anyone interested in working in the social care sector.

Anyone interested in becoming or returning to a career as a care worker can find out more about the Academy by visitwww.intoworkcardiff.co.uk/cardiffcares