THE family of a 91-year-old Gwent pensioner are "deeply worried" about the proposed privatisation of her home care services.

Helena Parry from Blackwood enjoys five and half hours of support each week from Caerphilly council social services.

Now a radical shake-up means the service is about to be farmed out to a private provider.

That would mean a new carer for Mrs Parry, from Cefn Fforest - somebody who she has never met before.

Her daughter Dorothy Simmonds and her husband Councillor Graham Simmonds, Caerphilly council's local member are angry about the changes.

They have attended various meetings with council officers about the changes but still don't know who would provide the new package or when they will start.

It's understood the council aims to have made the changes by April.

"We are concerned about the quality of service she would be getting, but importantly we are worried about the fact that she would be allocated with somebody new," said Mrs Simmonds, 57.

"She has built up a trusting relationship with her current carer, who looks after her personal needs including helping her in and out of the shower.

"Now she will have to get to know someone all over again - we want her to have consistency of care."

Councillor Simmonds said the council were putting money-saving ahead of peoples' feelings.

"They spend hundreds of thousands on job advertisements but cut older people off from carers they know and trust," he said.

Last summer Caerphilly council agreed on plans which could save it £1.4m from an annual £11.2m care budget.

It is planning to cut the number of council carers almost in half and expanding other services.

And it is looking at making greater use of the private sector.

The plan is to offer 158 of the 336 staff other jobs within caring services, which could be of varying salaries and hours.

Caerphilly council would then reinvest money into developing its 're-ablement' service - a short-term, intensive therapy, as well as homecare for people with complex or multiple problems, and those who require palliative care.

All other home care packages - including those in Mrs Parry's position would be provided by the private sector.

The Unions say they fear redundancies and are currently locked in talks with the council.

Despite several calls to Caerphilly council, no one was available for comment.