I think the events of the last few weeks, months and years will be the subject of much debate, review and interpretation.
I have no doubt there are huge forces at play in the form of the wider economic, political and social context. But there is also a very human scale to the current situation.
Not only because of the impact of the changes, both on the very people these services were intended to support, and those people directly involved in delivering the services.
But because we arrived at this point through the actions and decisions of a few key people.
It’s been a turbulent few weeks and I wasn’t sure what I could add to the various news items, opinion pieces and social media comments about the provision of community equipment, technology enabled care and wheelchair services.
But I felt it was important to mention a couple of things.
Well done to all at Medequip, Medequip Connect and Ross Care and the many other organisations and people that have just buckled down and taken action to make sure the people who need the services are getting them.
This includes all those organisations in areas only indirectly affected, who have nonetheless had to either step in or be flexible in their own on-going arrangements.
I’m really pleased to report that most of the people I have spoken to over the last few weeks genuinely wanted to find workable solutions.
The role of the private sector in the provision of public services, particularly those that relate to health and social care has always been a bit of a conundrum. Without giving too much away on how, the Care Act 2014 puts a hefty responsibility on Local Authorities to “manage the market in their area”.
Then, even with its new flexibilities, the Procurement Act 2023 gives perhaps too much detail on how the public and private sector should start and continue to work together.
Even the recent 10 year plan from the NHS, which attempts to both strengthen and straighten out the distinctions between those that plan and fund services and those that deliver them, is ambiguous about the role of the private sector.
So, I also want to commend those who, regardless of their role as a planner, purchaser or provider of services, worked constructively and within the law, in the service of quick decisions. To focus on the things that matter and to ensure the least disruption possible.
Thank you to all those in the NHS and Local Authorities who worked tirelessly to navigate their governance process for emergency decision making.
And thank you to the organisation that had to agree to arrange the insurance for an additional 24 hours on a fleet of vans that hadn’t yet been handed over, but whose drivers otherwise couldn’t complete their deliveries.
The scale of the challenges may have been tectonic, but the solutions are often human.
And, not finally, but rather continually, thank-you to the members of the Equipment Matters group and anyone or any group that calls on all of us that are employed to fund, plan or deliver these services to keep in mind and involve those who we ultimately should be serving.