Our introductory agency status
Elder is an Introductory Agency pursuant to the Health & Social Care Act 2008
Quick overview
Elder is recognised as an introductory agency. We’re here to help match and introduce you to a self-employed care professional, and help the ongoing relationship run smoothly.
It means you direct and control the management of care on a daily basis. But you’re not alone – we’re here to empower you with your own MyElder account, a specialist family support team, and on-going clinical diligence.
What is an introductory agency and what does it mean?
In Great Britain there are three independent bodies that regulate certain health and social care activities.
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) – England only
The Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW)
The Care Inspectorate Scotland (CIS)
Elder operates as a marketplace – matching self-employed carers to those seeking care. While we provide on-going support with our products (e.g MyElder, The Elder Hub) and our services (e.g carer matching, payroll,) we don’t have an ongoing role in the direction or control of the care that’s provided. This means we don’t interfere with how self-employed carers perform their duties.
The CQC, CIW, and CIS therefore recognise Elder as an introductory agency, and registering with these independent bodies isn’t required.
- Help you or your loved one find a suitable self-employed carer
- Help source a replacement or substitute professional, as required, on an on-going basis.
- Provide payroll services for you and your self-employed carer.
- Provide support services for you and your self-employed carer to help you with your own care management
- Conduct regular check-ins to make sure you and your family are happy with the introductory agency service
- Directly provide training, implement mandatory training, or manage the performance of self-employed carers
- Create a care plan based on the needs of the care recipient
- Advise, direct or change how a self-employed carer provides care
- Act as an advocate for the care recipient, changing the care received or providing care advice
- Review or manage the care plan in consultation with the individual
Self-employed carers and medication
It’s Elder’s position that self-employed carers who use our platform to connect to care recipients can only prompt the care recipients to take their medication, as we don’t assess the self-employed carer’s skill base/qualifications for administering medication.
At Elder, we can only suggest to self-employed carers that they obtain the necessary training and skills to enable them to provide medication support to our clients.
As an introductory agency, we have no ability to insist or mandate that this training is undertaken by self-employed carers and the customer and care recipient, if they wish to proceed with the self-employed carer’s services, do so on the understanding that Elder has no oversight, control or management of this aspect of care.
Any ongoing requirement to provide medication support is therefore a matter to be discussed and agreed between the customer, self-employed carer and the care recipient.
Why did Elder choose to operate as an introductory agency?
We want to make high-quality home care more responsive, more personal, and available to more people, and believe being an introductory agency helps us do just that.
As an introductory agency we can –
Support you faster
Tell us what you need and we’ll carefully match you to a carer who ticks all the right boxes, often within just 24 hours. And with our own clinical team of registered nurses reviewing every request for live-in care, you can feel confident about your decision to choose live-in care.
Keep you in control
When it comes to your or your loved one’s care needs, no one knows the situation better than you. It’s why we’ve invested in a platform where you can manage all aspects of care in one place. You can set the routine and protect what’s important, without needing to adjust to an imposed care plan.
Make care more flexible
Change is a natural part of life and we understand a lot of situations in later life can’t be planned for. We operate without lengthy contracts, can find care for as little as three days at a time, and can help you find a new carer quickly if you require additional specialist skills.
Provide a better deal to carers
The care workforce in the UK is chronically undervalued. Operating as an introductory agency means we have lower operational costs and can maximise what carers can take home. Carers have the freedom to work when and where they want, while being supported by an award-winning loyalty programme of rewards that are often unavailable to the self-employed.
More choice
Choose your carer from our 5000+ community, and manage care easily with your MyElder account.
More control
Whether you need care in 24 hours, or are planning ahead, we can help you take control.
More support
Our support specialists and clinical team are here to listen, guide, and empower 7 days a week.
More value
No surcharges, no hidden costs, and no joining fees– just truly personalised care.