Agenda item

Ms Dene (Senior Commissioning Manager), Ms Rogers (Project Manager (AH DCLDMH)) and Ms Shepherd (Head of Provision) were in attendance for this item.

(1)        Mrs Southern introduced the report which set out the outcomes of the public consultation on the future of Wayfarers Care Home, Sandwich.

Officers then responded to comments and questions from Members, including the following: -

a)    Ms Rogers confirmed that the majority of residents at Wayfarers Care Home were from East Kent.

b)    Ms Shepherd said that if proposals were agreed, the vast majority of Wayfarer’s staff would transfer with the service users to Westbrook House, although those opting to move elsewhere would be fully supported in doing so. Mrs Southern added that staff that transferred from Wayfarers Care Home to Westbrook House would be reimbursed for the extra travel to their work base and could potentially work from home.

c)    Ms Dene confirmed that Wayfarers Care Home had been up for sale on a number of occasions, although the sales did not proceed due to a variety of reasons, such as TUPE transfers, timing issues etc. when we looked at the options appraisal it was considered but then discounted as an option because it failed in the past and through the consultation we have had people come forward expressing interest to buy.

d)    Ms Southern talked about the vulnerability of care homes and said that care homes could close at any time either through CQC, or private providers that wished to stop providing the service.

e)    Mrs Southern said that Westbrook House was a modern, spacious accommodation, where a wider range of support services and facilities that residents currently use and enjoy, would be available. She added that by bringing the Wayfarers resources to Westbrook House, it would support the longer-term sustainability of the service.

f)     Ms Shepherd said that it proved challenging to meet individual’s specific needs at Wayfarers Care Home because the rooms were small and no en-suite bathroom facilities were available within the rooms. Whereas Westbrook House was much more spacious and would allow individual’s higher needs to be met for longer. Mrs Southern added that Westbrook House was an Integrated Care Centre with nurses, occupational therapists and physio therapists in the same building to help in supporting individuals.

g)    Mrs Bell stated that expanding the rooms within Wayfarers Care Home would not be practical or financially feasible and would considerably reduce the capacity. She added that a number of families with relatives being cared for at Wayfarers Care Home were very impressed with the facilities at Westbrook House.

(2)        RESOLVED that the decision proposed to be taken by the Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Public Health, to

(i)    close the current Wayfarers Care Home and for Kent County Council to seek to find a buyer for the building and its land and to explore Housing with Care options preferably in the Sandwich area;

(ii)  subject to budget appraisal proceed with the alternative proposal received from the residents and staff of Wayfarers to relocate the Wayfarers service to an unused, purpose-built unit at Westbrook House, near Margate, and to find accommodation for any residents who instead may wish to move to alternative care homes; and

(iii)delegate authority to the Corporate Director of Adult Social Care and Health, or other nominated officer, to undertake the necessary actions to implement the decision,

be endorsed.

(Mr J Burden asked that his vote against the recommendation be recorded in the minutes)