Four social care PFI projects approved

Four local authority social care projects are to receive Private Finance Initiative credits, the Department for Health has said. They are among 17 projects reviewed by the department late last year.

The remaining 13 projects will not gain PFI credits but local authorities will be allowed to take them forward if they find alternative funds.

The successful PFI projects are: a collaborative care centre at White City developed by the London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham and its local primary care trust; three Extra Care sites in Hull, providing general, respite and dementia care, plus seven centres for elderly people and people with learning and other mental disabilities, totalling about 200 beds; an adult social care community wellbeing centre, at Holt Park, Leeds; a sports and leisure centre at Sandwell, where priority will be given to disabled adults receiving social care services.

Care services minister Paul Burstow said: ‘These ambitious schemes include plans to build bridges between health and social care. This is key to developing services that fit around people’s lives and deliver personalised care and support.’