Work starts on £1.7m respite care centre in Swindon

A NEW respite care centre is taking shape in Gorse Hill to offer people with learning disabilities and their carers opportunities to take short breaks.

A sod-cutting ceremony was held yesterday to mark the beginning of the £1.68m development in Firethorn Close, off Cricklade Road, which is expected to be up and running by Christmas.

The buildings with state-of-the-art equipment, will replace Oak House in Wroughton and Elsie Millin Court in Gorse Hill, which currently provide respite care for approximately 100 families.

Karen Hobbs, learning and development officer, said staff, service users and their carers were all are looking forward to the move.

“The buildings we are using at the moment are completely out-dated which is why we have had this new build,” she said.

“The service will continue and will be much more fit for purpose.

“There won’t be holes in the walls like we have now which will be nice, and the facilities will be fantastic.

“It will be fully accessible and it is going to have all the modern assisted equipment and will enable anybody with any needs to use the service.

“With everything in one place we will also be able to operate more beds more of the time – at the moment we can’t use all the beds all of the time because of staffing.

“This has been a long time in the planning so it is all very exciting.”

The new accommodation, which is being built by Swindon Commercial Services Ltd, will have 14 beds with staff accommodation and will be split into three separate areas, each with its own communal kitchen, dining room and living room.

Caroline Purnell, 27, of Cheney Manor Road, uses the service three nights a month.

Her mum, Sarah, said: “It is going to be brilliant because there will be brand new facilities – where they are at the moment is adequate but it’s very old.

“It will be great to have new equipment and it is also a good thing that the two centres will be coming together in one place.”

Coun Peter Mallinson, Swindon Council’s cabinet member for health and adult social care, plunged the spade in to the ground to mark the start of the work.

He said: “The new centre will lead to a much more pleasant short break for all service users with the modern facilities on offer, and carers will feel more confident that their loved ones are being supported in a suitable building which can meet their needs.

“The accommodation will also provide an opportunity for new friendships to be developed as the current two centres will be brought together under one roof.”