Hanover Housing Association and Care UK Sign Memorandum of Understanding

Company news

Oct 21, 2004

The two signatures of Barry Hindson, Hanover's Business Development Director, and Roger Booker, Managing Director of Care UK's Community Care Services Division, were added to the five-year agreement at the joint Hanover / Care UK exhibition stand during the Association of Directors of Social Services conference in Newcastle on Wednesday 20 October 2004. The document sets out a framework for co-operation and joint working, with the aim of developing extra care housing and other services of mutual interest.

Both Care UK and Hanover have identified the extra care housing market as a priority area, with the aim of developing joint proposals in response to the growing demand for this form of housing for frail, older people; especially where local authorities wish to commission the housing, accommodation and care services through a single process.

Mr Hindson said: "There has never been a more appropriate time for this agreement with Care UK. Our relationship with Care UK, although not exclusive, opens up the possibility of more business opportunities for each party, and is sufficiently flexible to allow local authorities' commissioning teams, and health and social services, to benefit from bespoke solutions that are tailored to local needs."

Mr Booker said: "The successful delivery of integrated housing and care services relies on a solid collaboration between housing and
social care services. Commissioners can be confident that Hanover and Care UK already have a strong track record of collaborative working in housing and care to provide joined up services on a day to day basis."

Hanover and Care UK have already combined their skills and expertise on three ExtraCare projects. The latest, and most high profile, collaboration is the development of a PFI project in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, which includes the provision of 32 ExtraCare properties for rent. Care UK is contracted as the 'prime' contractor to the London Borough in a 25-year relationship, with the ExtraCare scheme leased to Hanover, which will provide the estate management services for the same period, and act as the contracted Supporting People provider.