To all Cabinet Members
Staffordshire County Council
9 November 2007
Dear Members
I refer to the final
recommendations being made to your Cabinet next week
which includes the Care Home in the very centre of
my community of Penkridge.
I have been an active
person within this community of Penkridge ever since
I came to live here 43 years ago with my wife. We
raised a family and my son and daughter and
grandchildren were all born here and are still
living in Penkridge. As an active and proactive
member of several village organisations I believe I
have a feeling for how the vast majority of people
in Penkridge feel about the care of our elderly.
I think I can say with
a degree of certainty that most people believe we
should have a Care Home in the centre of Penkridge,
employing local qualified and caring people to look
after our own elderly when they are unable to care
for themselves.
In fact, many of us
do that now - we look after elderly
people in their own homes - but there comes a time
when we are unable, for different reasons, to
continue to do that. That is when we believe they
should be housed and cared for
WITHIN
the community in
which they have lived and within walking
distance of their ex-carers, friends and neighbours
and often their relatives.
I have to say that I
have grave doubts, after reading the recommendations
following the recent consultations, that this will
continue to happen in Penkridge.
I also speak as a
person who, for the last 22 years of my working
life, worked as a Rural Community Development Worker
throughout the county of Staffordshire. In that
time I found there was nothing better to keep
community bonds strong than for people to become
involved in working and caring for their local
facilities, organisations, clubs, societies and
groups but above all helping and caring for their
fellow human beings who lived within that same
community. For 22 years I worked hard, along with
my colleagues, to advise, set up and help and enable
many self-help groups (from new Parish Councils to
Voluntary Car Schemes) to solve their local
community and social problems.
To my mind, your
current plans to close our Care Home in Penkridge
(and others in the county)
is going to do
exactly the opposite and break those bonds and will
in fact only help to destroy that sense of actually
belonging to Penkridge. I have found over
the years that people like to be able to "take part"
and by helping to "care" for others – their friends,
relatives and neighbours that they know in their
community - that it strengthens those bonds and
provides what is very much disappearing in today's
world – strong and healthy community spirit.
The Government may be
asking you to carry out these actions but has the
Council really considered the long term effect that
I feel this will have on the communities which are
affected? County Council Members are surely working
for the electorate in Penkridge and in
Staffordshire, not for the Government in Whitehall.
Can I ask whether you have consulted with
organisations like the Community Council of
Staffordshire who have been working in the community
development field for 54 years throughout the whole
of Staffordshire? They have a vast experience and
knowledge of how communities grow and die, how they
work and don’t work, how they care and don’t care,
how they survive and don’t survive, what they need
and what they don’t need. We must foster (take care
of) our communities as parents foster their
children. I submit that your current action in
Penkridge may in fact not do that.
Your consultation would appear to have only been
with those directly affected at present i.e. those
currently residing in the Care Homes and their
carers. I discovered there was confusion in fact
over whether or not other people or organisations
could contribute comments to Agencia. If you are
looking to the
improving of facilities for elderly people in the
future in Penkridge and the rest of the
county, should
you not have consulted with everyone, particularly
those over 65 years of age who are not yet needing
care but may in the future? I know of no
survey that you have undertaken in Penkridge which
has asked for the opinions of those people in our
community who are, say, over 65 and asked what sort
of care they would like to see implemented to help
them in their
future. Census 2001 data shows that in the three
Penkridge Wards there were 1,193 people over the age
of 65 out of a total population of 8,559. (That
figure will be considerably more today, 6 or 7 years
on). Have those 1,193 people in Penkridge Parish
been asked for their views before you made the
recommendation to close Silverdene Care Home? If
you had questioned them all, I believe they would
have said “Please
don’t close it – improve it and enlarge it”.
Bevan Craddock (Cllr.)
Penkridge
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ANNOUNCEMENT BY STAFFORDSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL 7 NOVEMBER 2007
Changing Lives recommendations go to Cabinet
On the 14 November, Staffordshire County
Council's Cabinet will be asked to vote on
recommendations in relation to county council care homes
for older people and for those with disabilities.
The recommendations came about following a
three-month consultation period with all service users,
their families and employees.
The county council's original proposal to provide all
residential care in the independent sector has been
modified. Based on the consultation process, they are
recommending Option 2 - the retention of some homes.
The impact on each home is as follows:
| Home |
Area |
| Billbrook House |
Codsall |
| Bracken
House |
Burntwood |
| *Brighton
House |
Newcastle |
| Foxwalls |
Stafford |
| *Great
Wyrley Community Support Unit |
South
Staffs |
| Greenwood House |
Burntwood |
| Hillfield |
Burton |
| Hillport
House |
Newcastle |
| Horace Pritchard
House |
Burton |
| Kniveden Hall |
Leek |
| Langbourn |
Cannock |
| *Lea House |
Madeley |
| Lightwood |
Cheadle |
| *Meadowyrthe |
Tamworth |
| Nearfield House |
Lichfield |
| Ravenhill |
Rugeley |
| *Roseneath |
Stone |
| Silverdene |
Penkridge |
| The Homestead |
Newcastle |
| The Laurels |
Stafford |
| *Thomas Hardy Court |
Tamworth |
| |
|
The are approximately 310 residents in older peoples'
care homes, of which approximately 75 were assessed to
need nursing care, which councils, by law, are not
allowed to run. In addition, approximately 110 will
have the option to stay in their current county council
care home (of the seven that will remain open).
* Also respite
Bold = To remain open and be
developed into specialist EMI (Elderly Mentally Infirm)
residential centres.
(Please refer to Q&As below for further important
information on this issue)
Speaking ahead of next week's Cabinet Susan Woodward,
Portfolio Holder for Healthier Communities and Older
people, said: "All over the country, councils are going
through the same process that we at the county council
are going through. The historic model of institutional
care is simply not working anymore and will deny service
provision for so many people in the future. So, the
option not to act now is simply not viable.
"We have worked and consulted with all our service
users and their families and as a result some of our
residential homes for older people will remain open and
we have also identified the need for the county council
to make an additional investment to build at least eight
new extra care schemes, one for each of the county's
districts.
"In addition to this, for those with disabilities
needing residential care, we will build new premises to
deliver these. One vital element with this issue which
I feel has been greatly overlooked is the council's
commitment to invest in care and support services.
Between 2007 and 2010, £19 million has been promised to
identify new and localised services for older people and
those with disabilities. We are investing not only in
our services, but investing for the future too.
"I understand that this is a sensitive issue and we
will also put service users first based on their
needs. There is a difference between what someone
wishes for and what their needs are. It's also
important to recognise that this is not the end of
residential care. Where someone needs residential care,
they will receive residential care. We already buy in
around 3,000 residential places for individuals in
Staffordshire and of the 310 or so county council
residents affected some of these actually need the
service of a nursing home, which all councils are not
allowed to run, in addition to the 110 or so who have an
opportunity to stay put.
"I urge the media and the public to look beyond the
obvious headlines and look at the real issue. The
county council is working to make a "not fit for purpose
service" appropriate, correct and relevant for a modern
society and a society that thankfully is living far
longer and more and more people will need the help of
the council now and in the coming years. We will do
this by building more services around the county,
provide residential care when needed, roll out a whole
raft of new services and help people to stay in their
own homes for as long as possible. This is what the
vast majority of people want and aspire too and the time
is now right to roll our sleeves up and start working to
achieve this."
Important questions and answers:
- Why did you arrive at this decision?
Every single service user was assessed. We looked at
their needs and how they could be met. Some, for
example, shouldn't have been in residential homes as
their needs were for nursing homes (which council do not
run). We also identified a lack of capacity in the
independent sector for some care needs, such as
dementia, and as a result retained some of our homes to
provide this specialist service.
The option to do nothing is simply not an option.
Failure to act now will deny services to people in the
future who will need them and this is a hugely
increasing issue. In less than four years, those aged
60+ will increase by 14% and the figure jumps to 37% by
2021 and to 78% for those aged 85+.
- Why is this happening in Staffordshire?
This is happening throughout the country with
councils having to modernise their care and support for
older and disabled people. The historic residential and
institutionalised model of care and support is no longer
workable and is no longer what the majority of people
want.
- What does this mean for residential care in
Staffordshire?
This is not about ending residential care. Where
someone needs residential care - residential care is
what they will get. The county council already 'buys
in' residential care services for around 3,000
individuals. Individuals affected by our
recommendations amount to 319 older people - around 110
of these will have an opportunity to remain where they
are (figure based on November 2007 and does not include
those in the five services remaining open), and 180
disabled people. 90% of all current residential care in
the county is already operating in the independent
sector.
- Can you identify when affected residents in each
of the homes will be moved and is there a deadline?
There is no deadline for any home to close. There
are times we are going to avoid for obvious reasons,
such as December (Christmas) and January
(post-Christmas). The timing will largely be directed
upon alternative placements and care plans.
- With the homes remaining open, will they
eventually close?
These recommendations take account of our plans over
the next few years. Therefore those staying open will
not be closed in the foreseeable future.
- How will alternatives homes be identified?
Through independent choice by the service users and
their families and tailored care plans.
For those with disabilities, this will be achieved
through a programme of new residential homes, which we
will build, and through supported living.
All those who currently receive respite care will
continue to do so. This will be achieved by working
with the service user and their families.
- How many people responded/took part in the
consultation process?
| Involvement |
Numbers |
| Meetings in homes |
682 residents and
families |
| Calls to Agencia |
411 |
| Forms returned |
237 letters and
emails |
| Letters from other
organisations/people |
14 |
- What happens to residents that are severely ill
and it is thought a move could have a detrimental
impact on their health?
In this instance we would delay any move to allow
treatment to take place or for a re-assessment of their
needs and risks to be carried out.
- The county council has committed to paying any
additional costs i.e. to make it cost neutral to the
individual. Won't these new homes simply increase
their rates to make more money?
No. The county council and independent care homes
have successfully negotiated the fees for placements (in
the last six months).
- The county council has agreed to give financial
support to families who may have to travel further
distances within the county. Will this apply to the
families of new service users entering the system?
This may be possible. Regardless of this process,
support we provide to families and carers are based on
an assessment and we apply such support on a case by
case basis.
- The county council has agreed to give financial
support to families who may have to travel further
distances within the county. What happens to
families who have to travel just outside of the
county, lets say and additional 5 miles, and other
families who may have to travel a far greater
distance within the county?
This may be possible. Regardless of this process,
support we provide to families and carers are based on
an assessment and we apply such support on a case by
case basis.
- Where and when will new services be identified
and rolled out?
Current services will continue as normal for those
who need them. For those with disabilities the new
individual care plans will be developed with users and
carers after the cabinet decisions, over a period of up
to six months. We anticipate that this will be
implemented over a further period of up to two years
dependent upon services available and individual
situations.
- Are alternative placements immediately
available?
Yes, there are places, but we need to ensure that
people's needs will be best met based on their
individual care plans. We will be working closely with
residents and their families to do this and identify
suitable alternatives.
- What timeline are you working to in seeking
alternatives for residents?
We will work with residents and carers at their own
pace to look at choice and availability in line with
their needs. Care plans will be completed for everyone
to identify the type of home that best meets their needs
which will result in a list of appropriate homes for
them to choose from.
- To what extent was the budget the driver behind
these recommendations?
This was not looked at in isolation. A range of
other important factors were considered including
assessed needs, the condition of the buildings,
refurbishment costs and the availability of appropriate
alternative places. We have actually ploughed extra
money into Adult Services to enable us to invest in the
future and make improvements.
- Will any of the current buildings be used?
No, apart from the seven remaining open. None of
these buildings have been deemed viable or appropriate
to the needs of those in our care. They are simply not
fit for purpose. It will be more economically viable
and cheaper to create new purpose built facilities in
the long term. The homes retained for older people
either have had or will have refurbishments. The
disability homes will be maintained during the longer
transition period.
- What will happen to the buildings?
All premises will be subject to a separate set of
Council decisions and options will be in the Cabinet
report. Alternative usage for the health or care of
older people or vulnerable persons will be a high
priority.
- If a building is closed where will the cash
raised from the sale go?
Options will be presented in the Cabinet report for
re-investment or re-use of the land. The capital from
that will be used to progress and promote the Changing
Lives programme. This is not about sending money back
to the main council budget, it is about re-investment in
service packages.
- Are there going to be any new services?
Further Extra Care Schemes are coming to
Staffordshire next year and we aim to introduce smaller
residential units across the districts. Together with
our housing partners, we plan to bring at least one
Extra Care scheme into every district. The local PCTs
also want to work with us to develop sites for health
facilities. Next year will be an exciting time in terms
of planning and development as we look to improve the
future of our services. This is very good news.
- Of the employees that work in the homes that are
to close, will they transfer to another position, or
will they be made redundant?
Obviously this will present a mixed position and
there will be mitigating measures. However, the reality
is that some staff working with older people will be
faced with redundancy. However, there will also be a
greater demand for such roles in the independent sector.
- What is the stance of the Unions?
We are continuing discussions with the Unions.
- Comparative figures from Richard Redmond to
illustrate how much cheaper it will be per week in
the independent sector
Older people's care homes:
The average price from April 2008 will be £200 per week,
per resident more in Staffordshire County Council homes
than in independent care homes. It will also be £300 per
week, per resident more than in Extra Care sheltered
schemes.
Disability care homes:
The average price for supported accommodation will be
£300 per week, per resident less than at present (and
nearly the same for residential care).
The full report is here