Meeting documents

Woodside - meeting with relatives/residents 20 January 2004, 6 p.m.

Present:

David Smallacombe, Project Leader

Cllr Francine Haeberling, Executive Member for Social Services

Jane Shayler, Head of Housing and Supported Living

Yvonne Case, Residential Services Team Manager

Sarah Shatwell, Group Manager

Pam Reeve, Group Administrator

Ketrene Cooper, Acting Registered Care Manager

Residents and relatives:

Ms Julie Buchan

Ms Christine Stuart

Mr M Priscott

Ms Joyce Langbridge

Mr and Mrs Spanswick

Apologies for both meetings received from Mr P Creton, Mr Kernan, Mrs Webster, Mr Ord, Mr G Jones, and Mr Cattell

David Smallacombe (DS) asked everyone present to introduce themselves and explained that we would make notes of the meeting which would be available to residents and relatives. The notes would record who was present, but would not say who had asked questions or made comments.

At the commencement of the meeting DS made reference to the fact that in consultation meetings held at Woodside in 2002 he had said there would be no interim move for residents if the site upon which their home stood was not going to be used for the new buildings. DS acknowledged the statement had been made, and took responsibility for it. It was not meant to be misleading, that was the situation at the time. However, the situation had changed and Sarah Shatwell (SS) would explain.

A relative asked DS what his role was in the consultation. DS explained that he was a the care consultant to the re-provision programme and his background was that of qualified social worker who had practiced for 23 years and had held a number of management positions including that of Assistant Director.

SS said that there was a briefing paper available today, together with a copy of the report to the Executive Member in December last. The decision was made to consult on the potential impact of closure on two homes, Tyndale and Woodside, because of the overspend in the budget. Unless action to remedy the situation was taken soon, the overspend for the next financial year would be progressively worse. A number of factors had been taken in account in focussing on these two homes. Staff vacancies were high, resulting in an extensive use of agency staff with a consequent effect on the budget. Occupancy levels were running at an average of 82% across the service, and the dependency level of residents in Tyndale and Woodside was wide-ranging. In addition both homes required £2-300,000 for building works to maintain them over the next 2/3 years. The resources currently being used to provide agency staff were needed to train permanent staff to care for the higher level of dependency expected in the future. Training is an important part of the development of the new service.

Other homes were taken in account, but had been ruled out for various reasons - Goldney House and Hawthorn House both provide services to the area of North East Somerset, while Bath is well-supplied with homes; Sunnyside cares specifically for people with dementia for whom there would be no alternative provision, similarly it would be difficult to find alternative placements for residents at Green Park. Marjorie Whimster has a stable work-force and high occupancy.

There are three aspects to the consultation:

The process should take two or three months, after which a second report will be made to the full Council Executive who will then have all the information they need to make a decision.

DS asked if anyone had any questions.

A relative asked when the Community Care Assessments would take place. DS - over the next two months, through February and March.

Relative - who does the assessment? DS - professionally qualified social workers. Relative - not a General Practitioner? DS - no, but if a resident wishes their GP to contribute it would be very helpful.

A relative asked about the timetable, and while appreciating that the Council was approaching this matter sensitively, wondered what happens after the decision is made, when would it be made, and would it be possible for friends to move to another home together?

FH said the decision would probably be made in April or May. DS said that if the decision was made to close, then we would move as quickly as was sensible. B&NES has a responsibility to provide care for residents and if groups wanted to move together we would try to facilitate this. This had happened when Greenacres was closed.

A relative asked what vacancies would be available if residents had to start moving in May.

DS - there would be vacancies at Green Park and Marjorie Whimster in Bath, Hawthorn House at Keynsham, and Goldney at Temple Cloud. Sunnyside at Peasedown St John, a specialist home for people with dementia, would also have spaces. At present there are 32 vacancies (excluding Sunnyside). There should be about 40 residents from Tyndale and Woodside to be placed. We already know that some will go out of the area, for others it may be that assessment will show they need nursing care. Some others may go to the independent sector so the numbers should work out.

A relative asked what funding was available for the independent sector.

DS - the Council has a ceiling for funding, but some flexibility exists in special circumstances such as these. When Greenacres closed 3 residents wanted to remain in the Midsomer Norton area and the Council paid above the threshold to allow them to do so.

Relative - what happens if independent fees rise? FH - the Council continues to pay because the resident is our responsibility

DS - we have been asked if residents could come back to the new Centres of Excellence even if they had been placed elsewhere in the meantime and we have said yes, we would honour that promise.

A relative asked why the situation has changed from the original plan. FH - Staff and residents do not want to come into our homes because they know that there will be closures in time, consequently we have struggled with occupancy levels and staffing issues in the last year.

A relative suggested that staff could be drafted from other parts of the service.

SS - it is a combination of factors that has produced this situation, staffing is only one of them.

A relative felt that there was a loaded agenda here because both sites were in prestigious areas and sale of the sites would produce a large amount of money.

FH said that the money to build the Centres of Excellence is already identified, we are not waiting for the sale of sites to start the new buildings. Any money realised from the sale of buildings would go into the Council `pot'. DS said that Woodside was one of the most valuable sites, but not the most valuable.

A relative asked where the Centres of Excellence would be. DS said the Carrswood site in Twerton, with Extracare at St John's Court and The Orchard. In addition we already have Avondown. In North East Somerset the former Greenacres site will be used; in Keynsham it will be Hawthorn House. An architect, a constructor and a registered social landlord partner have been appointed. There is a design focus group which is assisting. There is nothing concrete to see yet, but we should start building about a year from now.

A relative said that if the timetable was, for example, a move to Marjorie Whimster or another home in June, by January 2006, when Carrswood is ready, some residents will have been in an alternative home for eighteen months and may prefer to stay.

A relative also asked about Hawthorn House - if someone moved there within the next few months, they would have to move again when building starts on that site. DS - Hawthorn House will be the last site to be built on - we might be able to move all residents to the new centre in Midsomer Norton while the building work is being carried out. At present it is not decided whether Carrswood or the Greenacres site will be the first to be completed, but Hawthorn House should be the last one. There are many variables still to be sorted out.

A relative asked if this consultation was about the whole issue of re-provision or just the possible closure of two homes

SS - it is a feasibility study about the closure of Tyndale and Woodside. DS - we need to know people's current needs, how to place them, what the relatives are thinking. It has to be done this way; it is not possible or appropriate to decide on closures and then try to work out how to place everyone.

A relative asked if the Government National Care Standards Commission was driving this proposal. DS - partly, although they have back-tracked on some of their ideas. There is always the question of maintaining standards, which is one of the factors we have already mentioned.

FH - no-one foresaw the difficulties with staffing and occupancy levels which has contributed to the overspend. The Council has a responsibility to balance the revenue budget.

A relative asked if forecasts of the number of residents have been done. FH - people go into residential care later in life now, but often need a higher level of care. DS - We anticipate the same volume of care, but care of a different nature. We concluded that a different type of care would be needed, for instance to provide care for the higher incidence of dementia. People prefer their own home, which may not be their original home, but could be sheltered accommodation with Extracare services in place for them 24 hours a day 7 days a week.

A relative said that their family member had been a resident for two years at Woodside, and the family was full of praise for the home.

DS - we've also been told that at Tyndale and are pleased that B&NES is providing a high standard of care. Our experience is that people settle well after a move, one person at Greenacres visited another home for a trial overnight stay and decided not to return to Greenacres because they were very happy with the new home.

A relative asked about residents' furniture? What would happen to it? Who would move it? DS - if it fits at Woodside it will also fit in any other Council accommodation. YC - the Council will arrange all the moving, we have done that before.

A relative said they felt Council care was known and respected but the private sector was unknown.

DS said that residents and families would hear from an assessor soon. When the consultation is finished he would arrange another meeting for everyone before the report is made public, so that residents, families and staff will hear the recommendations first.

SS said, in answer to an enquiry about competition for vacancies, that no admissions were being made to council homes at present, so current residents will have priority over people who would like to become resident in a home.

A relative asked whose responsibility it was to find an alternative placement. DS said Yvonne Case and the Home Manager would look at residents needs and try to match them to the appropriate vacancy.

A relative asked if the Council would remember which residents were effectively in transition when it came to filling places in the new homes. DS - yes, we certainly will.

A relative said that their mother's needs have increased; she suffers from Alzheimer's disease. They live in Somerset and were wondering whether to try and find a place nearer to them. DS - if you want to look for a more suitable place in Somerset, then there is no reason why you should not start now.

A relative asked if Marjorie Whimster is dual care, eg residential and nursing. DS - No although the new homes will be able to do dual care

There were no further questions so DS thanked everyone for attending and repeated that the next contact would be to arrange assessments.

Meeting closed at 7pm