Frail care contract negotiations on track

Negotiations for Life Healthcare to continue operating the province’s only two fully funded state frail care centres are in an advanced stage.

Both the Department of Health and Life Healthcare, which has been running the centres under the Life Esidimeni banner, confirmed yesterday that discussions over contracts were under way.

This is after the department cancelled the contract last year, saying it was too expensive.

The department has admitted it was unable to find a suitable NGO to take over the care of the centres’ 240 patients. Life Esidimeni director Etienne Petersen said negotiations included a discussion on terms of payment for their services, future plans and which services the department required them to deliver.

Care at the two Life Esidimeni centres, Lorraine Frail Care and Algoa Frail Care, was delivered by Eastern Cape Frail Care, a company in the Life Healthcare group.

Social Development MEC Nancy Sihlwayi decided the service was too expensive.

Following an interdict application by family members in December last year, the Port Elizabeth High Court ordered that the Eastern Cape Frail Care contract be extended until a reasonable plan to move patients to other facilities was approved by the court and a curator appointed for the patients.

Life Esidimeni also runs the long-term mental health facility for children at Algoa Frail Care and in Kirkwood on behalf of the Department of Health.

Petersen said while the Department of Social Development had not paid the group since January no legal steps were being considered at present.

Social development spokesman Mzukisi Solani confirmed that the department had not paid Eastern Cape Frail Care since January. “The department is finalising the contractual arrangements,” he said.

“Both parties opted to resuscitate the negotiations and several meetings have taken place with Eastern Cape Frail Care.

“It is hoped we will be able to agree on a reasonable and affordable rate.”

Finance MEC Sakhumzi Somyo said in his speech on the adjustment budget this week that he had allocated a further R10.4-million for the continuation of frail care services in the province to make up the shortfall in Eastern Cape Frail Care’s fees.

He said that the money would be paid after the negotiations had been finalised.