CHESHIRE West and Chester Council has launched a new care framework to an audience of providers and service users at Ellesmere Port Civic Hall.

The Learning Disability Provider Framework has been designed by the council to change the way it deals with organisations providing care for adults with learning disabilities.

Developed in partnership with carers, health professionals and the learning disabilities partnership board, the framework aims to give residents more choice and control over their care and to provide the best possible quality of care.

It is a list of providers and the services they can offer that have been evaluated and approved by the council as meeting certain required quality standards.

Executive member for adult social care and health, Cllr Brenda Dowding, said: “The new framework means people will have not only more choice of care providers, but also more say in the process of choosing their provider.

“They will get the provider that’s best for them right from the very start.”

Care providers can apply to sign up to the framework and its quality standards and specify their particular areas of expertise.

All providers receive an initial audit visit before they officially join and both existing and new providers can sign up. The council will send care providers information about clients, including their needs, what their aims are and, most importantly, about them as a person.

The providers will be asked to give information on how they will support the person.

Service users and their supporters will then be involved in choosing which provider is best for them.