62 jobs at risk as Dudley Council's last care home to close

Cash-strapped Dudley Council has approved plans to close Russell Court Residential Intermediate Care Home later this year.

The decision has been met with anger from UKIP Councillor Paul Brothwood, who has raised fears of bed-blocking.

Council chiefs have ruled the care home will be shut on September 30, as part of a move to save £500,000 in 2016-17.

By closing the home on Overfield Road, they also expect to make £1 million in savings for 2017-18.

Councillor Brothwood said: "Time and time again the council makes short term decisions to either close or privatise care homes, and it is only putting more pressure on the health service.

"The NHS is in a state of crisis and if people can't get out of hospital into care homes like this then beds will continue to be blocked."

Russell Court is Dudley's only remaining residential home for older people which is solely managed by the authority.

It serves as a stepping stone between hospital and home, with a maximum of 23 intermediate patients at the home at any one time.

Those employed at the home include managers, senior care officers, business support staff, domestics, kitchen staff and care assistants.

There are also three therapists.

Councillor Qadar Zada, cabinet member for adult social care, said the nine residents would move to other homes.

He did not confirm what would happen to the home's employees.

It is proposed there are transfers, redeployment and voluntary redundancies for the workforce 'to keep the need for compulsory redundancy to a minimum'.

Chiefs said the care home was in need of 'substantial updating' to bring it up to required standards.

A quote attained last year put the cost of refurbishment at £1 million.

Councillor Zada said: "Over recent years Russell Court has moved from providing long term residential care to intermediate care on a short term basis and currently has nine long term residents.

"It does, however, now need substantial work to update it to the required standards for intermediate care and the decision has been taken to close it.

"The well-being of our residents is of the utmost importance and the council will support the nine residents to transfer to alternative homes which meet their current level of need.

"The 62 staff will be offered voluntary redundancy, as well as the opportunity to move to vacant positions in the borough, with compulsory redundancy a last resort.

"In the future our health and social care approach will focus on providing more support for people to remain living in their home for longer." Between April 2015 to March 2016, the 23 beds available for intermediate care at the home saw 174 admissions and 153 discharges, with an average length of stay of 43.8 days.

Pam Bradbury, chairman of Healthwatch Dudley, was also critical of the council's decision.

She said: "Whilst we understand the financial reasons for the closure we want to see evidence that the remaining nine residents and their families have had adequate time and support to consider the implications of the upheaval, especially as it has been home to one resident for 20 years and also this will not be the first time five of the residents have been moved from their home in similar circumstances.

"It is always very worrying when finance has driven changes and deadlines are set.

"We will be seeking assurance that the people affected have had the opportunity to discuss their wishes for the future and to ensure the transfer to a new home is a permanent move that is undertaken as smoothly as possible."