Plans to Close Final Council Run Care Home Branded as ‘Flawed’

Plans to close Wrexham’s final council run care home for the elderly have been described as ‘flawed’ and ignore the growing need for care in the community.

That is the view of Plaid Cymru’s Wrexham spokeswoman Carrie Harper, who after a visit to Nant Silyn in Caia Park said the consultation paper into the closure did not explain the situation in full and raises more questions than answers.

The care home, which is located on Pont Wen is the only council owned residential care home in Wrexham, after a decision was made in 2006 for Wrexham Council to ‘cease its involvement in the direct provision of residential care for older people, including EMH Services’

Nant Silyn is a 29 bedded home and currently has only seven permanent residents. Beds have also been used for respite care purposes. At present there are two service users who regularly use the respite care beds and a further six service users who make occasional use of the respite care beds.

However the care home has since been desribed ‘no longer financially viable nor required as either a long-term residential care or respite care facility due to significantly reduced numbers and oversupply in the residential care home market’.

Following a decision made by Wrexham Council’s Executive Board in July 2015, a consultation on the future of the care home has since been undertaken.

The potential closure of the care home has been met with opposition from some local residents and campaigners. Speaking about the closure, Cllr Harper said: “Council officers have been trying to close Nant Silyn for the past decade. Back in 2009 my Plaid Cymru colleagues and I, when we were on the council, successfully opposed a closure plan. It’s clear that the current situation, where only seven of the 29 beds are occupied, has happened due to a policy of not accepting admissions for the past year and a half. It’s little wonder that the place is costing more to run if there are so few people being cared for there. With just a few more residents, it’s likely the home would be in surplus.

“The determination in certain quarters to press ahead with closure would mean residents and those who use the home for vital respite care would go to a variety of care homes in the private sector. The council says there is no demand for these services but the private sector obviously disagrees as it expands in the Wrexham area. Furthermore the council is making assumptions regarding future cost of these private placements without acknowledging the calls from private care providers that councils will have to pay more for care if they are to afford new minimum wage standards in the coming months and years.

“The council also talks of block booking respite care in private care, which may result in them paying up to £600 a week for an empty bed. Is this really a better way to deliver a much-needed service? Losing Nant Silyn would also mean losing a centre of expertise and care, somewhere with skills in reablement and already delivering much-needed dementia services and day care in the community.

“Families today told me that Nant Silyn is just the sort of place where they feel confident that their relatives can have good quality respite care and enable them to stay in their own homes. It is also popular with local GPs, who see it as a useful halfway house for the elderly as they leave hospital. If it goes, the danger is that we will see more bed-blocking in the Maelor because we lack community facilities.”

She also criticised Wrexham Council’s decision not to consult with the wider community on this matter, saying future users were being denied a chance to have their say. Cllr Harper added:
“There’s a petition being distributed and I would urge everyone who wants to ensure we have the best possible care for our elderly and infirm to support Nant Silyn.”

Wrexham.com contacted Wrexham Council who said that a previous report on 17th October 2006 looking at resident care homes was presented to the Executive Board.

A spokesperson for Wrexham Council said: “Wrexham Council Adult Social Care Services are currently consulting on the decommissioning of services provided at Nant Silyn Residential Care Home, due to it no longer being viable. The proposal also includes the reinvestment of resources to support more older people across Wrexham to remain independent in their own homes where this is appropriate, particularly those with Dementia.

“A report to the Executive Board in July 14 July outlined the opportunities the proposal will create with much needed investment in to respite services and community based preventative services.

“It is acknowledged that the proposed changes will create uncertainty and concern for the service users and their families affected and for staff working in Nant Silyn. As this is a period of consultation every effort will be made to ensure services users, their families and staff have the opportunity to express their views and to be supported in doing so.

“The proposal has been developed to respond to increasing demographic pressures with rising need and demand for services for older people and tight budget settlements which requires the Council to make effective use of resources. Older people themselves have expressed their first preference as the need to remain in their own homes with support in their local communities for as long as possible. The changes being proposed are also consistent with the requirements of the Social Services and Well-being Wales Act which requires local authorities to develop preventative services to enable people to remain independent.”

Councillor Joan Lowe – Lead Member for Health and Adult Social Care added: “The Council can reassure all those affected by the proposals that their views will be fully considered and any proposed changes will be fully explained and discussed with them. Any decision will only be taken once consultation is complete and all feedback has been given full consideration.”