Agenda item

James Cawley, Service Director Strategy and DCS Commissioning gave a presentation on the Older Peoples Accommodation Strategy explaining that the Council had produced a 10 year development plan, which would modernise the way that older people’s accommodation would be provided, delivered and adopt an integrated accommodation system ensuring that the best use of resources was made and that the Council responded to the needs of the local older people.

He pointed out that older people were living significantly longer and that in the majority of cases people did not want to live in residential and care homes as they are now.  Older people wanted wherever possible to remain in their own homes, and that the Council had to re-focus the provision of care to facilitate this and dementia care.

It was realised that the Council would not be able to provide this level of provision without working with a variety of partnerships including the following;

·       A long term partnering agreement with The Orders of St John Care Trust, who currently operate the Council’s care homes for older people. The Trust recognises the need for developments and significant refurbishment due to the ageing nature of the existing facilities. 

·       The department of Health Private Finance, through which the Council has been provisionally allocated money to deliver specialist dementia care. 

·       An innovative Preferred Developed Partner Framework agreement is being jointly procured with Devon County Council to facilitate the development of extra care housing.

·       A review of sheltered housing stock to assess the quality of accommodation and its ability to meet current and future needs.

·       Utilising private sector and Registered Social Landlords (RSL) initiatives.

He explained that in Trowbridge the redevelopment of The Paddocks Care Home involved the both The Orders of St John Care Trust and Wiltshire Council. The Paddocks redevelopment is purpose built, including 30 registered beds, short and long stay accommodation, care for dementia and Alzheimer patients, and purpose built homes.  A redevelopment of Watersmead in Westbury would be in a similar vein.

He then went on to explain that the Council has been working with the NHS and residents of Wiltshire on a major review of the services that are available to older and vulnerable people living in the county ‘Help to Live at Home’. The service has listened to what is has been told and aims to support those in crisis.

·       To bring together a variety of separate services into one single service provider.  The sorts of services included in this are personal care in the home, housing support and other services that support people in their homes.

·       Ensuring that these services focus on helping people learn or re-learn skills they may have lost as a result of illness, or another event that has resulted in them losing confidence and needing some help.

·       Making better use of the wide range of community services that there are in Wiltshire.

·       Ensuring better use is made of the wide range of community services.

Savings will come from economies of scale of from the use of 200 to 4 providers.

·       Making sure that community services are focused on doing what people want and helping people to live independent and fulfilling lives.

·       Support sheltered housing schemes.

As a result of this services to older and vulnerable people should be improved with more people being able to access help to help themselves through the provision of information, advice and support from within the wider community.  More people will be able to remain in their own homes with an improved quality of life.  Less people will require help for long periods of time – more people will be helped to become more independent more quickly.  People who need support will receive when and where they need it.  The right help will be given at the right time and in the right place.

A number of questions and concerns were raised by those in attendance including;

During the re-build of Watersmead where would the current residents go, what would happen to their partners who live locally?  It was explained that the redevelopment was not imminent.  Also it was acknowledged that the move of any residents was a very sensitive issue.  It was likely that during the redevelopment residents would move to The Paddocks, but if this was not suitable alternative accommodation and care would be found at no extra expense to the individual.  The redevelopment would be likely to take 2 years.

Reverend Jonathan Burke welcomed the improvements that would be made to Watersmead and explained that the need for personal space for residents was important, however, it was essential to realise that change and a move from Westbury would have to be dealt with sensitively.  This view was echoed by Cllr David Jenkins.

Cllr Russell Hawker suggested that the existing Westbury Hospital site would lend itself to the development of a care home negating the need to move residents out of the locality.

Cllr John Thomson explained that Watersmead was in need of updating, the rooms were small, there were no en-suite facilities, the needs of dementia patients could not be adequately catered for and from a bricks and mortar perspective the building would not be fit for purpose in 20 years.  He went on to explain that currently Watersmead did not meet the needs for couples.  Extra Care takes into account the need for couples over 55 years of age and becomes part of the design.

Decision

To develop a working group to work with Wiltshire Council on accommodation issues for older people.