EU Rules Forcing Care Home To Shut

A care home for the elderly may be forced to close because its bedrooms are too small. West Sussex County Council will hold a public meeting on Monday to decide the future of Burrscrofte in Shoreham. Four elderly people live in the home, with 25 other rooms used for intermediate care, short-stay and respite accommodation.

Burrscrofte has recently been used to rehabilitate elderly people following surgery. But West Sussex County Council said the size of the rooms did not meet minimum EU requirements and were becoming “increasingly unsuitable”. The council refused to reveal the dimensions of the rooms.

Brian Coomber, of Adur District Council, said his 94-yearold aunt had stayed in Burrscrofte, in Pond Road, over Christmas before moving into Elmcroft, which is also expected to close. He said: “My experience was it’s very friendly. The staff are great and the people really are well looked after.

“She had a very nice room but the bathroom was across the corridor and under current regulations you have to have one en suite. Burrscrofte has almost by law got to change and I’m told it’s very difficult to update it.”

Pat Arculus, cabinet member for adult services, said: “We do not feel Burrscrofte can be used as a home for residents any more because the rooms are too small and cannot accommodate hoists. A decision to close a residential care home is never taken lightly. That is why we are keen for as many people as possible to take part in the consultation and send us their views. I would like to stress that Burrscrofte will close only if we are satisfied there is adequate care provision in the area.”

West Sussex transferred most of its residential care homes to Shaw Healthcare in 2005. The company is building a new residential home on the nearby Southlands site in Shoreham, due to open in autumn next year. The county council will buy 48 of the 60 places in the Southlands home and transfer the residents from Burrscrofte and Elmcroft to them.

Councillors said the Southlands home would be large enough to care for all of Shoreham’s residential care needs.

The public consultation closes on Friday, March 23.