Concerns raised over Thornbury nursing home closure (From Gazette Series)

Concerns raised over Thornbury nursing home closure

10:00am Thursday 4th February 2010 in

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CONCERNS have been raised about the potential lack of care provision for elderly people in Thornbury.

As part of South Gloucestershire Council’s overhaul of its older people’s services, the authority plans to close its nursing home on Alexander Way.

This closure is one of eight across the district, which will see all council run homes replaced by two state-of-the-art facilities and 700 extra care housing units.

However, it was admitted this week that in Thornbury there is at present no alternative care provision in place or planned that would be ready in time for the closure of Alexander Way Nursing Home.

The nursing home, which has 40 residents, is earmarked for closure by summer 2014.

It was hoped that the new Thornbury Hospital site would include extra care housing, but this project is now facing long delays.

Cllr Maggie Tyrrell, a South Gloucestershire councillor for Thornbury, as well as a member of the Thornbury Hospital Steering Group, said: "The Thornbury Hospital project had a rather large hiccup and it’s put the whole project back by about two years.

"The date of 2013/14 for new extra care in Thornbury is looking highly unlikely. We cannot knock down the hospital and rebuild in that timescale.

"We haven’t put the business case to the Primary Care Trust (PCT) yet and we might have to go to full public consultation again, yet another delay in the process.

"I do not want to see Thornbury without any extra care provision."

Peter Murphy, director of community care and housing, who is leading the changes to the older people’s service, said: "In Thornbury there are real problems of supply so it would be unwise for us to bring Alexander Way into the timescale any time before 2014."

Members of South Gloucestershire Council have promised to help find a solution.

Cllr Matthew Riddle, executive member for community care and housing, said: "We need an extra care facility in Thornbury and the ideal place would be as part of the new hospital rebuild. I will do everything I can in my position to bring that forward."

Amanda Deeks, chief executive for the authority, along with Cllr John Calway, leader of the council, said they would write to the Strategic Health Authority about the hospital project.