Campaigners and opposition councillors are calling for Derbyshire council to reconsider its plans to close up to 11 elderly care homes as part of ongoing saving strategies to overcome an estimated budget deficit of nearly £40m for the current financial year.
Conservative-controlled Derbyshire County Council has launched a 12-week public consultation to consider the future of eleven residential homes and day opportunity services for elderly people but opposition Labour councillors have tabled a motion for the Full Council meeting on May 21 calling for further investigations into the possible consequences of the plans.
The move comes after protesters had descended upon the council’s headquarters in April demanding the council re-think the plans and after concerned relatives have also launched a petition with over 700 names opposed to the possible earmarked closure of one of the homes – The Grange, in Eckington.
Cllr Ruth George, Deputy Leader of Derbyshire Labour and Opposition Lead on Adult Social Care, said: “Older people and their carers often rely on Derbyshire County Council’s Day Centres and Care Homes. They know they will receive excellent, local care from experienced and caring staff.
“There are very few alternative day centres in much of Derbyshire, and whilst there are vacancies in residential care homes, the market is precarious with more care homes closing every month.”
The Labour councillors’ motion will call for a Scrutiny Committee to review the impact the proposed closure of these facilities may have on the provision of services for older people in Derbyshire and for the Authority’s finances and that this report should be considered as part of any final decision.
Derbyshire County Council’s public consultation concerns its 16 elderly residential care homes with possible plans to close either nine or 11 of them as well as eight older people day centres in a bid to save over £5.2m and help balance its budget with a new focus to be placed on services for people with dementia and their carers.
This comes two years after the authority closed seven care homes in 2022 despite widespread opposition with a campaign that stretched throughout the Covid-19 pandemic.
As part of one of the options under consideration, the 11 care homes earmarked for possible closure would include: Briar Close, Borrowash; Bennerley Fields, Ilkeston; Castle Court, Swadlincote; Florence Shipley, Heanor; The Grange, Eckington; Lacemaker Court, Long Eaton; The Leys, Ashbourne; New Bassett House, Shirebrook; Rowthorne, Swanwick; Thomas Colledge, Bolsover; And Whitestones, at Chapel-en-le-Frith.
The alternative option would involve the closure of nine care homes including: Briar Close, Bennerley Fields, Castle Court,
The Grange, The Leys, New Bassett House, Rowthorne, Thomas
Colledge and Whitestones so Florence Shipley and Lacemarker Court would be spared.
And the day centres which face possible closures under both options include: Blackwell Day Centre, Blackwell; Eccles Fold Day Centre, Chapel-en-le-Frith; Fabrick Day Services, Hilton; Hasland Resource Centre, at Hasland, Chesterfield; Jubilee Centre, New Mills; Queens Court, Buxton; Shirebrook Resource Centre; And Valley View Day Centre, Bolsover.
Cllr George claims other areas have seen private sector costs ‘rocket’ after council provision has been closed.
She claims that Derbyshire is already spending over £40m more each year on private care homes with the cost between 2022 and 2023 standing at £113m compared to £71m between 2018 and 2019 – seeing an increase of almost 60per cent.
Cllr George added: “If just a few of the people using day centres have to go into residential care as their family carer can no longer cope, and if more people in Derbyshire’s residential homes have to access more expensive private sector provision or specialist care in a nursing home, then these closures will end up costing far more than the county council can afford.
“At a time when Derbyshire’s finances are already so precarious, and so much provision for older people is under threat from the council’s additional cuts to the voluntary sector, as a council we need to make sure that the consequences of closing these much-loved and valued services are properly assessed before any decision is made.”
Dianne Franks, whose mother is a resident at The Grange, in Eckington, stated in a letter to her MP: “Our mother, a resident of the Grange Care Home for the elderly at Eckington, has found a second family among its dedicated staff and fellow residents.
“After two temporary stays at The Grange for rehabilitation following falls, she made the conscious decision to give up her own home for the safety and community that The Grange provides.
“Now the Derbyshire County Council threatens to take that individual choice away from her and many others like her who live at The Grange and other care homes across Derbyshire.”
Ms Franks has questioned the statistics used by the council to place its focus on dementia care opposed to residential care beds and she is concerned for the care home staff and that such severe cuts will place increased pressure on the NHS.
She added: “If Derbyshire County Council are successful in closing so many of our care homes as they are proposing then where on earth are our elderly relatives supposed to go.
“Their generation have been residents in Derbyshire, have paid all their dues and demands all their lives, lived through the war, contributed to society and are now being treated appallingly. Like luggage on a carousel.”
Heanor Mayor Paul Jones has said he was devastated when he learned the Florence Shipley care home could be closed, and Alison Warner, of Heanor, whose elderly mother is a Florence Shipley care home resident with Alzheimer’s Disease, said it was a ‘massive shock’ to learn the home could be closed.
The council claims commissioning work and analysis demonstrates a declining need for standard residential care as more people choose to stay at home for as long as possible and there is a greater need for nursing care and accommodation for people with more complex needs including dementia.
It has stated that it ‘is not required by law to provide any in-house residential care or day centre provision’ and it is now considering closing either nine or 11 homes and eight older people day centres.
Conservative Cllr Natalie Hoy, Cabinet Member for Adult Care, has said more people want to remain in their own homes so there has been a decline in the number of people who want to stay in care homes and there is growing demand for specialised care services for those with dementia.
Cllr Hoy stressed the council does not want to be in this position but like councils across the country it is facing increasing financial pressures outside of its control alongside an increase in the demand for adult social care so the council has to consider how it can continue to deliver its required services.
The council has also stated people say they want to live at home independently for as long as they can which is leading to a decline in demand for traditional residential care and it needs to review to what extent it provides these services.
Its Adult Social Care Services has subsequently put forward these plans which it feels could save over £5.2m from the council’s budget concerning the care homes and over £1.3m from the day centre provision.
It is consulting on the two possible options to close either nine care homes or eleven care homes along with the proposed closure of eight day centres in both cases with the aim of increasing support for people with dementia and their carers.
An online questionnaire is available on the council’s website and public drop-in sessions are being held at libraries where people can give their views or get help filling in the questionnaire.
The drop-ins will be held between 10am and midday on the following dates and at the following locations: May 28, Chapel-en-le-Frith Library, Town Hall, Market Square; May 31, Alfreton Library, Severn Square; June 3, Swadlincote Library, Civic Way; June 5, Chesterfield Library, New Beetwell Street; June 6, Long Eaton Library, Tamworth Road; June 7, Eckington Library, Market Street; June 12, Ashbourne Library, Compton; June 17, Bolsover Library, Church Street; June 18, Ilkeston Library, Market Place; June 19, Heanor Library, Ilkeston Road; And July 2, Buxton Library, Kents Bank Road.
Two online public meetings will also take place from 6.30pm to 7.30pm on June 19 and June 26 but they must be booked by contacting the council’s stakeholder engagement and consultation team on 01629 531307 or by emailing asch.tell.adultcare@derbyshire.gov.uk.
A further consultation concerning staffing is expected to take place after the consultation on the closure plans.
The council has been outlining a number of saving proposals to meet an estimated budget deficit of over £39m for the 2024-25 financial year.
It has stated that like many authorities it has been struggling due to reduced Government funding, the financial impact from the Covid-19 pandemic, high inflation rates, rising costs, the cost of living crisis, and a growing demand on services.
