Care homes consultation starts today
Consultation over the future of two Llanelli care homes will begin today.
Carmarthenshire County Council is formally seeking the views of residents, their families, and staff, in relation to Caemaen and St Paul’s residential care homes.
The authority is proposing to remodel care provision across the county, improving facilities, providing more flexible services and giving older people more housing choices.
The consultation stage follows the recommendations of a cross party task and finish group, which were accepted by the Joint Housing and Health and Social Care Scrutiny Committee and executive board.
Consultation will take place throughout October and November – the first meetings taking place at St Paul’s today (October 12) and at Caemaen tomorrow.
Responses will be considered and analysed to inform the final version of a discussion document on flexible care and housing choices for older people.
A final decision on the future of Caemaen and St Paul’s will be made by full council.
Cllr Pat Jones, executive board member for health and social care, said: “We know that residents, their families, and staff, have been eager to have their say, which is why I am pleased we are progressing to consultation stage.
“Everyone’s views will be taken in to account, and will be used to inform council members ahead of their final decision.”
The task and finish group was given six months to examine the proposals for care provision across Carmarthenshire, before reporting back to the joint scrutiny committee in July.
As well as recommending that a full range of options are explored and consulted upon, the Task and Finish Group found - in relation to Caemaen - that: “The traditional design and small bedrooms do not lend themselves to the provision of modern/specialist services. The cost of dealing with the essential maintenance issues alone exceeded the available budget, and the home would need to be closed for several months with residents having to be vacated so that the works could be carried out. The group also found that the cost of bringing the home up to modern day standards would be significant and unaffordable.”
With regard St Paul’s, the group found that: “The room sizes meet the minimum required standards, and the building is in a good condition. However, because of its size and room numbers it is the most expensive care home in the county’s portfolio to run, making it uneconomic.”
The group also established that: “There are sufficient sheltered housing schemes in the area that can be used to deliver flexible extra care services without having to build new.”
The options developed for the homes are:
Option 1: Keep in Local Authority ownership, upgrade and or redesign the care home to modern day standards
The Joint Housing and Health and Social Care Scrutiny task and finish group found that: “The cost of bringing the home up to modern day standards would be significant and unaffordable.”
Option 2: Demolish the care home and provide purpose built bungalows
The Joint Housing and Health and Social Care Scrutiny task and finish group found that: “Most people would like to be cared for in their own homes.”
Option 3: Explore options to transfer ownership with the independent/not for profit providers
The Joint Housing and Health and Social Care Scrutiny task and finish group recommended that: “A full range of options be explored, including seeking interests from other parties who could invest in the upgrade/redesign of the buildings.”
Option 4: Close St Paul’s and Caemaen, re-provide care for the residents in other care homes, and dispose of the assets.
The Joint Housing and Health and Social Care Scrutiny task and finish group found that: “Maintaining Caemaen as it is is not an option because of the room sizes and fabric of the building. At St Paul’s, although the room sizes meet minimum standards, and the building is of a good condition, because of it’s size keeping it as a 20-bedded residential care home is not economically viable.”
Carmarthenshire County Council is formally seeking the views of residents, their families, and staff, in relation to Caemaen and St Paul’s residential care homes.
The authority is proposing to remodel care provision across the county, improving facilities, providing more flexible services and giving older people more housing choices.
The consultation stage follows the recommendations of a cross party task and finish group, which were accepted by the Joint Housing and Health and Social Care Scrutiny Committee and executive board.
Consultation will take place throughout October and November – the first meetings taking place at St Paul’s today (October 12) and at Caemaen tomorrow.
Responses will be considered and analysed to inform the final version of a discussion document on flexible care and housing choices for older people.
A final decision on the future of Caemaen and St Paul’s will be made by full council.
Cllr Pat Jones, executive board member for health and social care, said: “We know that residents, their families, and staff, have been eager to have their say, which is why I am pleased we are progressing to consultation stage.
“Everyone’s views will be taken in to account, and will be used to inform council members ahead of their final decision.”
The task and finish group was given six months to examine the proposals for care provision across Carmarthenshire, before reporting back to the joint scrutiny committee in July.
As well as recommending that a full range of options are explored and consulted upon, the Task and Finish Group found - in relation to Caemaen - that: “The traditional design and small bedrooms do not lend themselves to the provision of modern/specialist services. The cost of dealing with the essential maintenance issues alone exceeded the available budget, and the home would need to be closed for several months with residents having to be vacated so that the works could be carried out. The group also found that the cost of bringing the home up to modern day standards would be significant and unaffordable.”
With regard St Paul’s, the group found that: “The room sizes meet the minimum required standards, and the building is in a good condition. However, because of its size and room numbers it is the most expensive care home in the county’s portfolio to run, making it uneconomic.”
The group also established that: “There are sufficient sheltered housing schemes in the area that can be used to deliver flexible extra care services without having to build new.”
The options developed for the homes are:
Option 1: Keep in Local Authority ownership, upgrade and or redesign the care home to modern day standards
The Joint Housing and Health and Social Care Scrutiny task and finish group found that: “The cost of bringing the home up to modern day standards would be significant and unaffordable.”
Option 2: Demolish the care home and provide purpose built bungalows
The Joint Housing and Health and Social Care Scrutiny task and finish group found that: “Most people would like to be cared for in their own homes.”
Option 3: Explore options to transfer ownership with the independent/not for profit providers
The Joint Housing and Health and Social Care Scrutiny task and finish group recommended that: “A full range of options be explored, including seeking interests from other parties who could invest in the upgrade/redesign of the buildings.”
Option 4: Close St Paul’s and Caemaen, re-provide care for the residents in other care homes, and dispose of the assets.
The Joint Housing and Health and Social Care Scrutiny task and finish group found that: “Maintaining Caemaen as it is is not an option because of the room sizes and fabric of the building. At St Paul’s, although the room sizes meet minimum standards, and the building is of a good condition, because of it’s size keeping it as a 20-bedded residential care home is not economically viable.”
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