Strathspey groups will fight ‘tooth and nail’ for care home

CAMPAIGNERS have vowed to fight tooth and nail to oppose any plans by Highland Council to scrap plans for a new residential care home in Grantown.

Members of the full council are being recommended to defer the next stage of the formal tendering for five new care homes – including a replacement for Grant House – until March 31, next year, at the least when they meet today in Inverness.

It has lead to renewed fears that the new homes may not be built by the council – or that the authority could revert to the policy of the previous administration to privatise the homes.

One of the first acts of the new council shortly after coming to power in May, 2007, was to give the go-ahead to a £21.5 million spending plan for the new homes in Grantown, Inverness, Fort William, Muir of Ord and Tain.

A new Grant House was expected to be constructed some time between 2008/09 and 2012/13 although no exact date has ever been given.

Mr Donald Scobbie, chairman of the Grant House Action Group, said he had harboured suspicions the spectre of privatisation would rear its head one day because of the “sea of change” that had occurred.

He pointed out that the social services committee’s hierarchy was still composed of many of the same councillors who as part of the previous administration had been adamant that privatisation was the solution.

Mr Scobbie said: “We had a visit from the chair of the social work committee and director who said there was no way out.

“Grant House had to be refurbished to Care Commission standards and that was it and they could not afford it so the home had to be privatised.

“Now we are at the bottom of the list for replacement because Grant House – not having had a nail put in it since – is now so good and the best care home structurally that the council has.

“My mind fails when I look at the intellectual hop-scotch they are playing.

“There would be some very serious objections from the community but the social work committee’s leaders seem to shift the policy as they please and weather the storm.

“It would be regarded by many in this community as treachery.”

Fellow Grant House committee member Elizabeth Main said: “We felt we could trust and rely on the powers that be to protect Grant House from privatisation and with a promise of refurbishment and rebuild we had felt confident for the future of this very caring home. Sadly it appears our campaign could be for nothing.

“I understand there have been tremendous changes over the last year, particularly financial, but one thing that will never change is the responsibility we should have for the care and needs of our elderly. Although we all have to tighten our belts, surely this should be a top priority.”

Dr Ian McNamara, Chairman of the Highland Senior Citizens Network, said that many of the councillors had been elected in on a platform of supporting the council building the new homes rather than privatising them.

He said: “The debate to be held by the council to defer the tender process for the project runs the risk of the local authority declaring itself bankrupt of credibility and forfeiting the right to be trusted again.

“The public will observe with interest those who absent themselves from the debate, sit on their hands or vote to defer the tender process.”

Several local Highland councillors have also re-iterated their support for a new Grant House.

Councillor Dave Fallows (SNP) said: “A clear and unequivocal promise was made to communities the length and breadth of the Highlands to build five care homes at our own hand.

“That is a pledge which must be honoured.”

Councillor Gregor Rimell, a member of the Lib Dem ruling coalition, said: “I will fight like hell to make these care homes happen.”

But fellow Lib Dem Highland councillor Stuart Black said that the world was a changed place since the go-ahead for the new care homes was given.

He said: “We all know what has happened in the past year as far as public finances are concerned.

“In this climate the council needs to re-evaluate its programmes to ensure that they are getting best value for money.

“During that process there is always going to be all kinds of speculation as to what might be the outcome.”

He added: “Best value, of course, does not necessarily just mean financial value but needs to take all other factors into account including quality of care, location, and ease of access for visitors.”

The new care homes are needed because the current premises that had been in line for transfer will shortly not meet fire regulations, disability legislation and Care Commission standards.

To support its stance, the previous council had also claimed it was nearly £10,000 per year cheaper to provide care for a resident in the private sector than in a council home.

The number of very frail older people aged over 75 in the Highlands is projected to increase by 80 per cent by 2024.

Plans for extra care housing at Kingussie’s Wade Centre in Kingussie – which was also identified as a sixth home to be privatised – have failed to progress so far. It is understood the one of the main hold-ups – in addition to finances – is that a site can not be found for the development.