PLANS have been drawn up to extend home care services to cater for 300 more pensioners.
A survey undertaken by Middlesbrough Borough Council showed that, during a random week in June, there were 1,070 people in the town receiving home care services.
An evaluation of the services provided showed that they are highly valued by their users, preventing 200 people a year from having to go into hospital.
From next month, the authority will expand its community rapid response team by 50 per cent.
A further 12 care assistants and six district nursing staff will be employed.
The expansion is expected to enable earlier discharges from hospital, better use of the council's mobile rehabilitation scheme, and a wider range of services, including bathing and overnight sitting.
Long-term support for pensioners will be improved by such measures as expanding the council's care link home support scheme, which provides access to care 24 hours a day. There will also be increased use of independent care providers.
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