Agenda item

[Report of the Director of Adults and Health. To be introduced by the Cabinet Member for Adults and Health]

This report requests Cabinet consider the outcome of the consultation on the proposal  to close  Osborne Grove Nursing Home  to allow for the development of an expanded 70 bed nursing home provision on site to meet current and future care needs in the Borough.

The Cabinet Member for Adults and Health introduced the report which provided feedback from the statutory consultation to close the home in order to enable a redeveloped improved facility with increased beds for this nursing home. The report included, the equalities impact assessment of the proposal, the analysis of the issues and the legal duties required make a decision on the proposal to close the Home.

The Cabinet Member referred to the Cabinet decision in July 2019, to build a new 70-bed nursing home on the Osborne Grove site, which demonstrated the Council’s commitment to providing high-quality nursing care in the borough and represented a major investment in new facilities. As demand for nursing care continues to grow there was a need to increase the supply of residential nursing care places which the redevelopment would provide for.

The Feasibility Study had determined that the redevelopment of Osborne Grove would have implications for the current residents, in terms of health and personal wellbeing due to the inevitable disruption that would result from the building work and site preparation. Therefore an extensive consultation has been undertaken and this report sets out the findings and recommendations to proceed.

Following a question from Councillor Barnes, it was noted that residents of the care home had been moved to alternative ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’ provision.

RESOLVED

1. To consider and take into account the feedback from the consultation set out in section 6.

2. To consider and take into account the Equalities Impact Assessment undertaken at Appendix 1 which includes actions proposed to mitigate the impact of the proposed closure on protected groups.

3. Having considered the above, to agree to the closure of Osborne Grove Nursing Home to allow for the demolition works and construction of a new 70 bed nursing home on site.

4. To agree that the closure be subject to an implementation plan that includes:

a)    engagement with all stakeholders including service users and carers;

b)    the re-assessment or review of the care and support needs of service users with a view to identifying suitable alternative provision to meet assessed needs; and

c)    Individual transition plan that is sensitive to the needs of service users, mitigates the impact of the closure, ensures the process of change is safely handled and the care and support needs of the service user continue to be met.

5. To agree that the closure is managed in accordance with the Managing Care Home Closures Good Practice Guide and Management Checklist approved by the CQC.

Reasons for decision

In June 2018 a decision was taken by Cabinet to stop the previously agreed closure of the Home, pending a feasibility study to be undertaken for the future development of the site. Part of this decision was that the existing residents should be allowed to remain in the Home if they choose, pending the outcome of the feasibility study report.

In July 2019 the feasibility report was presented to Cabinet and they agreed to endorse the preferred option: that is, to demolish the current building and rebuild a 70 bed nursing provision including the clinic site, ensuring that the use of the site overall is maximised The feasibility study considered the viability of the current residents in the home remaining on site during demolition and construction works. There were likely to be significant impact on their health and wellbeing. The highlighted impacts include but are not limited to: a) excessive noise levels; b) general health and safety; c) demolition and construction dust and air quality; d) security of the care home in a construction site; and e) the likely need to relocate residents twice. The development could not safely commence with residents on site given the level of disturbance. The Home would have to close and residents moved to suitable alternative accommodation that will meet their care and support needs. Therefore, in September 2019, Cabinet decided to consult residents, their family members and carers and other stakeholders for their views on the proposal to close the Home.

The consultation commenced on Monday 7^th October, 2019 and closed on Sunday 5^th January 2020. The feedback from the consultation are set out in section 6 of this report. There is support as well as opposition to the proposal to close the Home. There is concern about the suitable alternative accommodation to be provided to residents and that a relatively new building is going to be demolished and that the beds should be filled. But there is also support for the proposed expanded provision.

The proposed closure will be managed in accordance with “The Managing Care Home Closures” Guidance which aims to ensure that, where temporary or permanent care home closure situations arise, there is a joined-up and effective response from all partners involved to minimise as much as possible the impact on people using services, their families, carers and advocates and to keep them as fully informed and involved as possible throughout the change. Thorough assessments of both needs and risks, on an individual basis and for individual plans would be developed. This will ensure that suitable alternative nursing accommodation is provided to residents. Also, that the transition to their new nursing homes are handled safely.

The health and wellbeing of the residents are a priority for the Council and their care and support needs will continue to be met. The proposed new expanded 70 bed nursing provision including the clinic site will significantly improve the provision for the elderly in the Borough. It will ensure that current and future needs for nursing home provision are met. It will maximise the whole use of the site. It will create services that are more flexible, are more personalised and give greater choice. The new provision will have better long-term outcomes for people at lower cost and would ensure that the Council is better prepared for an ageing population. The closure of the Home and move of residents to suitable alternative nursing home would enable these outcomes to be achieved.

Alternative options considered

The option to retain the current 32 bed dual registration residential/nursing home on the site was considered but rejected, primarily because it would not increase the registered nursing capacity within the borough and because it would not address a number of fundamental design issues with the current building which prevent it functioning effectively as a nursing home and which could not be fully addressed due to structural limitations.

As part of the detailed feasibility study that was conducted, options for being able to accommodate the remaining residents on site were considered but this in itself would require a move to another part of the building and presented considerable risks to wellbeing and quality of life. Therefore this was not deemed appropriate.

The option of not consulting on the proposal to close the home and relocate residents to allow for the preferred development Option was considered and rejected. Fairness demands that residents, carers and other stakeholders are consulted before a final decision is made.