Shake up wil axe Leeds adult care day centres

Council chiefs in Leeds are to cut the number of day centres for people with learning disabilities in a shake-up of adult care services.

And the number of home care staff employed by the council is to be reduced and more services provided by the private sector.

The council is also to develop “reablement services,” short-term, intensive help and encouragement to promote independence and reduce the need for long-term health and social care services.

Sandie Keene, the council’s adult services director, stressed no one would have their home care reduced as part of the changes.

Day services for about 900 people with learning disabilities have traditionally been provided at eight large centres across the city.

In a recent pilot scheme, one of the centres – Moor End at Hunslet – closed and activities more tailored to individual needs provided at community-based venues.

According to a council report, the pilot was a success and proved popular with users.

The council now plans to roll out the programme and close three more centres – West Ardsley, Horsforth and Wetherby. In the longer term either Ramshead Wood at Seacroft or Potternewton is likely to close.

Savings from the closures, estimated at over £800,000 in capital costs and nearly £600,000 in running costs, would be used to refurbish the remaining centres that would provide services for people with the most complex needs.

Coun Lucinda Yeadon, executive board member with responsibility for adult social care, said: “People with learning disabilities have every right to feel part of their local communities, and not be excluded by being sent to day centres every day of the week.

“It’s clear from the success we have had in changing the way we deliver services to customers from the Moor End centre, that people’s aspirations are very different now to what they used to be, and we need to move with the times.”

Among those to benefit from the Moor End changes is Alan Hicks, who now attends the new service base at Hillside in Beeston where he has become involved in the community radio station. He also attends drama, literacy and Tai Chi classes run by Leeds Health for All’s “As One” project in Holbeck.

Alan said: “I’m loving it all.”

More than 260 of the council’s home care staff have expressed an interest in voluntary early retirement or voluntary severance being offered by the authority.

Reports detailing all the proposal will be discussed by the council’s executive board on November 3.