Care Micro-Enterprises (CMEs) are local people we are helping to set up their own small businesses. They provide their neighbours with personalised care and support, and other services that maintain independence at home.
What is a Care Micro Enterprise?
A Care Micro Enterprise (CME) is a small business which can provide care and support services at home and in the community. CMEs can have up to ten full time staff. They must be independent businesses, and could be Sole Traders, Partnerships, Limited Companies or CIC’s. The principles behind Care Micro Enterprises CMEs work in a place-based way; covering a select few localities where they can provide flexible, personalised support, giving the person with care and support needs and their families the consistency they need. Being small and local, CMEs can often respond more flexibly than larger, traditional care providers. CMEs can build a close relationship of trust and create a tailored care package that considers individual health and wellbeing
needs. Rooted in the communities, CMEs often have a well-developed knowledge of local community facilities and support networks, which they can support people to access.
Benefits of using a Care Micro Enterprise
The key benefits for you are that care can be more flexible and localised, giving you more choice and control around your care and support options. Additionally, there is more consistency of staff/care workers, meaning a longer-term relationship can be built. This provides much-needed stability that people with care and support needs deserve.
What services can Care Micro Enterprises
provide?
The types of support CMEs might offer could include:
Personal care – day to day support with things like:
• Bathing or Washing
• Dressing
• Medication
• Eating or Drinking (including the administration of parenteral nutrition)
• Toileting (including in relation to menstruation)
• Oral Care and the care of skin, hair, and nails (except for nail care provided by a chiropodist or podiatrist)
Complex care – Learning Disabilities, Mental Health, Physical Disability and
more
Holistic Homecare – general wrap around support typically delivered in the home, to enable a person to continue to live well independently. This could include things like:
• Cleaning
• Gardening
• Meal preparation
• Prescription collections, and grocery shopping
• Support to access GP appointments
• Companionship & befriending
• Support with administration & correspondence etc.
Care Respite Services – e.g. providing respite breaks for informal carers.
Most importantly, CMEs can be flexible, so can adapt to the needs of the person wishing to use their service and provide a tailored/personal approach to care.
For more information about CMEs in Cambridgeshire:
The CME development team can be contacted on either 01223 706100 or at
cmedevelopment@cambridgeshire.gov.uk.