Release Date:  12-May-2008

Bristol City Council today set out a new blueprint for the future of residential care services for older people - hailing it as the best possible deal available and one that offers least disruption to elderly clients.

Since Cabinet endorsed an outline framework in November, the council has been working with representatives from relatives of residents, health care professionals, trade unions and staff and other stakeholders. The emerging views have resulted in the council considering a revised model which will form the basis of a report to Cabinet this summer.

Key benefits of the new model include:

• All current residents of council-run elderly people’s homes (EPHs) in Bristol would be guaranteed a place in a council-run home;
• Residents living in the council’s care homes for people with dementia would only have to move once - and then with the option of moving to a council-owned home in improved premises;
• There would be extra time and more flexibility for the development and training of staff

Councillor Peter Hammond, Deputy Leader and Executive Member for Care and Communities, said: “Over the past few months, we have sat down and talked with residents, relatives, carers, staff and anyone else with a stake in our services.

“This has resulted in a re-worked model which will meet the real challenges we face and deliver improved services, enabling older people in our city to live as independently as possible for as long as possible. We will take this model back to the people we have been consulting and believe they will find we have taken on board many of their comments and concerns about the original proposals.

“This is the best possible deal available and offers the least disruption to older people. It is firm evidence that we are determined to make a difference to the quality and effectiveness of our services whilst listening carefully to people’s concerns and being sensitive to their needs.”

Under the original model, proposals included:

• Three ‘upgraded’ specialist residential homes run by the council, providing permanent care to people with dementia
• Two new council-run Resource Centres providing much-needed respite services to benefit older people and their carers and new ‘re-ablement’ services to help people gain the confidence and mobility to return to live at home rather than having to go into care
• Increased provision of very sheltered housing (VSH) and Home Care
• The phased closure of the remaining 8 EPHs - with the vacant Vetchlea unit being disposed of on the open market

The new model proposes:

• Three new specialist council-run EPHs for people with dementia, including one at a re-opened and refurbished Vetchlea - all with higher staffing levels.
• Four EPHs to become multi function facilities, offering both a Resource Centre with re-ablement and respite care services and continuing residential care provision for existing clients. This new mixed approach would be subject to the plans being finalised with the Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI)
• A guaranteed place if wanted in one of the three new upgraded specialist homes for any resident currently in a council-run home for people with dementia
• The opportunity for residents currently living in the four homes set to become multi function centres to remain there - and for residents in the other council-run homes to be offered a place at one or other of these centres, if their wish is to stay in a council-run facility.
• The council’s guarantee of no compulsory redundancy for staff would continue as would increased provision of VSH and Home Care
• The remaining seven council-run EPHs would phased out over a period of five years.

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