‘We have to get our act together over care homes review’, Colne meeting told
Pendle councillors have raised concerns
The future of Lancashire care homes has been raised by Pendle councillors, including Favordale in Colne, as a county council review and public consultation of care homes and day centres continues.
One Pendle councillor said an action plan is needed to respond to all possible review outcomes and noted local campaigns are being launched. But another said there is ‘no viable option’ to close Favordale and claimed vulnerable people are being upset by ‘constant talk of closure.’
The different views came at Pendle Council’s Colne area committee as Lancashire County Council holds an eight-week consultation. The county has said it is committed to excellent care and it is important to review services now and for the future. Public feedback will be considered before a report to the county’s cabinet in February.
At Pendle Council’s latest Colne committee, chairman Conservative David Cockburn-Price said the county had been contacted following the committee’s last meeting but no reply had come back yet.
Reform UK Coun Marion Atkinson, a borough and county councillor, said: “This is a review process not a closure. I keep telling people this. A review hasn’t been done in 14 years. Because of that, some buildings have deteriorated.
“There’s one building where a third of the roof has caved-in. But that does not apply to Favordale. I see no viable option to close Favordale, in any way I look at it. And I have written to the council leader, saying so.”
‘CAMPAIGNS’
Lib-Dem Coun Dorothy Lord said: “It’s not just Favordale being reviewed. There are other homes including in Hyndburn. People are terribly worried and starting campaigns.
“The situation might be as you say, Marion, but we have to be prepared for these things. We have to get our act together. If it happens then we are ready for it. That’s what’s happening in Colne.”
Conservative Sarah Cockburn-Price said: “I’ve listened carefully to Marion and felt comforted. But we have not heard anything in detail. I recently went to a Pendle executive meeting where the leader had a stack of paper, which he said was the business case from the county, essentially for closing homes.
“I read it and my eyebrows rose so high because the business case was so very clear. Favordale needed £1.2million spending on it, it said. But this will be reviewed. It also mentioned the cost-per-bed between council homes and local providers. But it seemed angled towards a certain business case.
“Have they looked to see if there is capacity elsewhere locally? I came away thinking I now know less. We have still got a week or so to reply. I think this committee should write again and say they haven’t replied to us. No reply is poor.”
But Coun Atkinson added: “We county councillors complained about that report. All councillors were unhappy with it. The information was old. We’ve asked officers to actually visit homes, look with their eyes, and come back with a proper report. ”
Regarding the consultation, Lib-Dem Coun Andy Bell said: “I felt the survey questions were leading questions. They basically said people are better staying in their own homes and then said we need to remove care homes.
Sarah Cockburn-Price added: “There is a point where people do need care, such as with Favordale. But perhaps we can delay people from going into care homes too early?”
HOME VISITS AND STAFF
Coun Atkinson added: “We have now began reviewing care staff visiting people at home. Bobbing in for 15 minutes, making the old person a cuppa and offering them their medication does not work for most people.
“It’s not sufficient. Your own home is lovely, if you’re fit and healthy. But a lot of people need 24/7 help. That’s where care homes come in.
“There cannot be a blanket closure of homes. It would not work. Where would we put people? Some people have been in homes for years. We cannot uproot people because they will be dead in two or three weeks. People with dementia need routine.
“We’re waiting for the report in the new year. In a personal email, I said we should defer the situation, get full information and proper pricing and have a staggered approach. Use common sense.”
She added: “”These vulnerable people should not be upset by people constantly telling them the homes are closing. It’s really dangerous.”
Coun Lord said: “I don’ t think we’ve said that.” But Coun Atkinson added: “Other people have said that.”
Regarding care workers, Andy Bell added: “There were letters about a 90-day redundancy process but a Care Quality Commission (CQC) report to the county was more about procedures and staffing. I felt it was a knee-kerk move when they talked about putting five homes under review. The CQC report was more about administrative issues.”
The CQC regulates social care.