Care Homes Facing Closure Over Repair Costs
Two more Hampshire residential care homes face closure – because they cost too much to repair, say county bosses. The cash-strapped adult social services department of Hampshire County Council is proposing to shut the homes in Basingstoke and Lymington in a bid to save money.
County councillor Patricia Banks, county chief of adult social care, has approved starting a 12-week consultation on plans to shut Newman Bassett House in Basingstoke and Linden House, Lymington, which provide long-term and respite care. Cllr Banks also gave the go-ahead for commissioning cheaper alternatives to residential care, including extra care housing,’ a form of sheltered accommodation.
The county also closed four residential homes last year and is reviewing day centres with a view to making savings. The cuts come at a time when under-funding and over-commitment has left adult services deep in the red.
But the Conservative council has come under fire for closing residential homes on the grounds of repair costs, while spending £40m refurbishing the county HQ at Ashburton Court in Winchester.
The plans leave 42 residents at Basingstoke and 26 at Lymington – who are either physically frail or have dementia or both – facing an uncertain future.
The council report says revamping the two residential homes would cost £3.3m, while closing them would save about £1.8m in annual running costs. The report by Rea Mattocks, director of adult services, says that government funding for adult social care is not expected to meet the needs of an increasingly elderly population. It adds: “Experience shows that home-based care and community-based supported living are more cost-effective for social care.”
The report also says that older people prefer to stay in their own homes, though the latest two care homes earmarked for closure have 98 per cent occupancy rates. As part of the consultation, residents, relatives and members of staff will be offered meetings to discuss options for the future. A final decision will be taken in August.
