Lichfield ; ‘No Closure Of Day Centres’ Says District’s New Care Chief

The new director of social care for Lichfield and Burntwood is hoping as many people as possible will attend a series of discussion meetings into future provision, the first of which take place today.

District director Ian James said the views of service users, their carers and their families are being sought so that improvements can be made.”There are no plans to close day centres or day services in the district though I can’t guarantee that no facility will close,” Mr James told the Mercury.

“This is a change of approach.”

Mr James said he has met with service user committees at Oakdene Day Centre in Burntwood and Lichfield Day Centre and will continue to work with them.

“This is the start of the process and we will be meeting with the committees on a regular basis.”

Mr James will be at Oakdene Day Centre today (Thursday) at 2pm and 6pm, Lichfield Day Services in Cherry Orchard next Wednesday (October 25) at 2pm and 6pm and Lichfield Day Centre, Wissage Lane on Thursday (October 25) at 2pm and 6pm.

Staffordshire County Council is also issuing Personal Care Guarantee certificates to everyone who uses adult support services.

Inscribed with the person’s name and signed by Councillor Susan Woodward and social care and health’s corporate director Eric Robinson, the certificates aim to reassure people that the authority will continue to meet the needs of those receiving adult support services.

“There have been many misunderstandings about what we want to achieve here,” says Councillor Woodward.

“We hope that this Personal Care Guarantee certificate will provide some much-needed reassurance to families and service users across the county and that the ongoing discussions will show them that we do value their views on this issue.”