Council to review nursing home plans

Staffordshire County Council agreed in 2019 to consider proposals for new nursing homes to meet growing demand, as well as works on the existing Hillfield site in Burton to provide 38 extra nursing beds.

By March 2020 an outline business case had been developed, which identified a need for council-owned nursing homes in Stafford and South Staffordshire which could provide 120-200 additional beds.

The Covid-19 pandemic, which hit the country two years ago, has had a major impact on care homes. And reforms to social care proposed by the Government are also expected to have a significant effect on the care home market.

The county council’s cabinet is asking officers to look again at the authority’s plans to ensure the events of the past two years are taken into account. A new business case will be prepared and is due to be presented to cabinet in the autumn.

Councillor Julia Jessel, cabinet member for health and care, said: “By taking some extra time to review our plans, speak to residents and those directly involved in nursing care, we can ensure our plans are fit for the future.

“I believe there needs to be a thorough evaluation before putting options before the cabinet. Those options may include significant investment and we need to be absolutely assured that it is on a sound basis and sound planning for the future.

“In 2019 cabinet agreed the principle of council-owned nursing homes to provide additional nursing home provision.

"However in September 2020 cabinet agreed to suspend the refurbishment of Hillfield House in Burton. In September of last year cabinet further agreed further not to progress with that refurbishment because the building could no longer meet our requirements.

“There is a need to reassess the demand and need for further nursing home provision; not least because over the last two years there has been a significant impact in terms of demand. Demand dropped off significantly.

“There’s also a further impact of Covid in terms of infection control requirements, and that has significant impact on the design and layouts of buildings. There’s the impact of the changes to adult social care and the forthcoming reforms.

“Alongside that we need to drive up standards in terms of CQC (Care Quality Commission) ratings of our care and nursing homes. As far as I’m concerned, having care homes that are requiring improvement or inadequate on an ongoing basis is not good enough – and certainly not good enough for the people of Staffordshire.”

Fellow cabinet members backed the proposal to review the plans at their meeting on Wednesday.

Council leader Alan White said: “The approach you are taking is the right one. When things change, we reassess our position. And there has been more change in the care market over the past two years than we’ve witnessed in my lifetime.”