Essex Cares

ESSEX CARES

Essex Cares opened for business on 1 July and all staff are now TUPED across to the new company. They have Admitted Body Status which means staff will still be in the Local Government Pension Scheme. Hopefully all will go well though paying staff a day late in the first month was not a good start – branch officers were able to resolve this quickly. UNISON was represented at the official launch on Friday 4th September.

Sept 09

Essex Cares goes live on the 1st July 2009.

Negotiations started in March and a full and thorough consultation took place, with UNISON branch officers attending meetings with staff and numerous meetings with management.

Essex Cares was developed to give service users real choice and control over the services and how these would be delivered. There are over 800 people who have personel budgets.

Mike Walsh has been appointed to lead the programme (Programme Director)

The immediate changes are different signatures, ID badges, payslips, pay dates will remain the same

The biggest change will be Essex Cares Board, who will be making the decisions and not Essex County Council.

Liz Rymell, HR Business Partners, has been consulting with UNISON from the beginning.

Liz Chidgey has spoken and said how the new service will be able to develop and give staff greater scope to deliver services in care, including apprenticeships and different roles.

One of the things UNISON ask every new employer is to keep the Pension with Essex and we are pleased to say Essex Cares are doing this meaning all staff will be able to stay in the Local Government Pension Scheme.

Babs Whitfield
Assistant Branch Secretary
23rd June 2009