Homecare workers to reach residents quicker by electric bikes
Homecare workers providing support to adults in Oxfordshire can now benefit from the use of ebikes free of charge to reach county residents and conduct care visits more quickly and efficiently.
Care Outlook, a service commissioned by Oxfordshire County Council, provide care as part of the county council’s Home First initiative, and has initiated the ebikes scheme.
The option of cycling is available to care workers in the city of Oxford and minimises time wasted in traffic and the delays this can cause – enabling them to provide better care to residents. It also opens up work to those who do not have a driving licence or access to their own vehicle.
Councillor Jenny Hannaby, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, said: “Cycle to work schemes may not be new to many but in social care support it’s proving revolutionary. The amount of time many care workers spend in traffic is valuable time that they could spend with those who need support.
“The new ebikes available to the county’s homecare workers mean greater accessibility and ease – and hopefully, in the long term, support for more of Oxfordshire’s residents.”
Fabiao Lopes Rodrigues, Care Outlook Support Worker in Oxford, said: “As carers, we can encounter challenges in reaching our clients in a timely manner. I found the cycle to work scheme very accessible from the instant my request was made. Using my ebike allows me to serve our clients in a timely manner and provide better quality of service. The environmental benefits also mean I can help keep my carbon footprint and emissions low; I’m all for the scheme!”
Home First is designed to improve domiciliary care, extra care housing and reablement services to adults across the county, helping a greater number of people in the county live independently at home in the longer term.
Given the ebikes are fully operational on an electric battery pack, users can operate them easily and safely, particularly on routes which contain uphill travel. The battery pack then detaches to recharge when not in use. The ebike scheme also supports Oxfordshire County Council’s initiative to reduce emissions and air pollution resulting from motor traffic.
The initiative has been particularly beneficial for support workers who typically conduct their visits using cars. To find out more about careers in care and to apply, visit www.proudtocareoxfordshire.org.uk.
For more information about this release contact the Oxfordshire County Council and Cherwell District Council communications team on 01865 323870 or email press.office@oxfordshire.gov.uk
Click Sign up to hear from us and receive the latest news and updates in our fortnightly newsletter, Your Oxfordshire.