Plans to shut down almost half of city's elderly care homes

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About 100 elderly people are set to be uprooted from their care homes and moved miles away after council bosses revealed plans to axe care services at four sites.


Skipton Lodge (top left) and Halford Lodge (top right and bottom)

At least 120 jobs are also at risk as Coventry City Council announced it aimed to shut down care services at Frank Walsh House, in Hillfields; Halford Lodge, in Keresley; Skipton Lodge, in Upper Stoke; and Farmcote Lodge in Holbrooks.

The council currently spends £1.6million providing care to residents – some aged over 100 – at the four Whitefriars Housing sites, and wants to slash that bill by £1million.

Officials say the savings will be achieved by moving all residents to the new £35million Earlsdon Care village, operated by charity Extra Care, and other council care homes in the city.

The closures would reduce the number of council elderly care sites by almost half, from 10 to six.

Consultation will now take place about the plans, which would see residents at Hillfields and Keresley move in time for Earlsdon Care Village’s opening in autumn 2016.

The other two care homes would move their residents in spring 2017.

Two day service operations for people with learning disabilities which operate from the Frank Walsh House site are also under threat of closure as a result of the proposed changes.

The council’s cabinet will consider the plans on August 11, with a final decision set to be made towards the end of this year.

Labour Coun Kamran Caan, cabinet member for adult services, said: “We remain committed to supporting our most vulnerable citizens and although we recognise the stress and anxiety associated with these proposals it is right that we consider reducing our services as new and better facilities become available.

“The city council will work closely with those affected as these proposals develop to ensure that any changes are implemented with as much consideration as possible – for this reason we are bringing these proposals forward well in advance of any possible changes taking place.”

Whitefriars Housing said it planned to renovate and convert the existing buildings to create new accommodation for older people – but that they would not be care homes.

Simon Kimberley, executive director at Whitefriars, said: “We recognise that these proposals will impact on some of most vulnerable tenants and are therefore committed to working with the city council to ensure this is sensitively managed.

“Should the proposals proceed we are committed to the refurbishment of the schemes so that they can be used for older persons housing accommodation.”

Council officials said they remained hopeful job losses for permanent staff could be mitigated by people taking early retirement, voluntary redundancy and temporary contracts coming to an end.

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Man, 87, rushed to hospital after being told council wants to close his care home


Skipton Lodge, Skipton Gardens, Coventry.

An 87-year-old man was rushed to hospital after the shock of being told that his care home could close.

Coventry City Council has announced plans to close four of its 10 care homes and move around 100 residents - some over 100-years-old - to other sites in the city as it bids to shave £1million off its care budget.

At least 120 jobs are at risk with services at Frank Walsh House, in Hillfields; Halford Lodge, in Keresley; Skipton Lodge, in Upper Stoke; and Farmcote Lodge in Holbrooks set to be axed.

Christine Clarke’s uncle Tom, a former HGV lorry driver, currently lives at Skipton Lodge.

Christine, 44, hit out at the council and building-owners Whitefriars for the way the news was delivered and says the elderly are “easy targets”.

She said: “I was astonished that no one reached out to the families so that we could support our elderly relatives when they were given such life-

changing news without warning.

“The staff were told in the afternoon, there was then a hurried informing of the residents that night - and I was given no clue about it when I was there - I thought it was just a usually monthly tenants’ meeting.

“Had something have been said, I would have stayed with Tom for that meeting.

“He was rushed via ambulance to hospital the following morning due to the shock of being told he was going to have to leave his home.

“I found out about the closure by accident when one of the staff mentioned it to me in passing as I was rushing to get to Walsgrave Hospital.”

Tom was later discharged from hospital.

The council has said it plans to move a large number of residents to the new £35m Earlsdon Care village, operated by charity Extra Care.

But Christine told the Telegraph she was concerned about the effect of the closures on all elderly residents.

She said: “Many residents have been there over a decade. To do this is just an unbelievable betrayal of the vulnerable.

“Tom is an ex-HGV driver. He did hard work, for long hours and supported himself and his wife and me and never asked for help.

“Now because he - along with the other residents - are seen as easy targets without a voice or representation, they are to be shunted off away from their friends without consideration.”

Activities for people with learning disabilities which operate from the Frank Walsh House site are also under threat of closure as a result of the proposed changes.

The council’s cabinet will consider the plans on August 11, with a final decision set to be made towards the end of this year.

A Coventry City Council spokesperson said: “The welfare and wellbeing of all our tenants, including Skipton Lodge, is our highest priority.

“Where possible, staff made contact with family carers in advance of notifying tenants, so that they could provide support. Tenants were then informed of the proposals by staff and letters were shared inviting family carers to briefing sessions.

“The briefing sessions are an opportunity for people to have their say and to address any questions they may have.

“Whilst it is not council policy to discuss personal circumstances it is not always possible to make contact with all family carers in the timescale.”

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Care home workers could face abuse charges if they talk about council care home closure plans in front of elderly residents.

The warning came from Labour Coventry City Council leader Ann Lucas during a cabinet meeting today as the authority signed off an eight-week public consultation into plans to close almost half of the city’s council-operated care homes.

About 100 elderly people - some over 100-years old - are set to be uprooted from their care homes and moved miles away after council bosses revealed plans to axe care services at four sites.

At least 120 jobs are also at risk as Coventry City Council announced it aimed to shut down care services at Frank Walsh House, in Hillfields; Halford Lodge, in Keresley; Skipton Lodge, in Upper Stoke; and Farmcote Lodge in Holbrooks.

But Coun Lucas warned care home staff about speaking up about concerns in front of residents.

She said: “In similar situations, in the past, workers who are worried about their futures have stirred up worry and concern with residents.

“If workers get residents worked up, I have checked this, and it would constitute abuse. This must be managed with great compassion.”

Labour colleague Coun Steven Thomas agreed that if residents were upset by conversations it should be treated as abuse.

He said: “If anybody is worked up by members of staff, that constitutes abuse and I’m pleased to hear it will be treated in that way.”

The council spends £1.6million providing care to residents at the four Whitefriars Housing sites, and wants to slash that bill by £1m.

Officials say the savings will be achieved by moving all residents to the new £35m Earlsdon Care village, operated by charity Extra Care, and other council care homes in the city.

The closures would reduce the number of council elderly care sites by almost half, from 10 to six.

It is aimed to move residents at Hillfields and Keresley in time for Earlsdon Care Village’s opening in autumn 2016.

The other two care homes would move their residents in spring 2017.

Labour Coun Joe Clifford insisted the changes were good news, and hit out at any suggestion otherwise.

He said: “This is a good news story. It’s driven by the desire to improve accommodation for elderly people, not by savings.”

The Conservative opposition also backed the plans.

Consultation on the issue will now take place between August 25 and November 17.

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Lucas is trying to stem the backlash

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Council leader responds to criticism of care home 'abuse' comments



Coventry City Council leader Ann Lucas has responded to the criticism of her comments about care home workers.

She said: “I am fully supportive of all staff talking to residents about the future of care homes in a sensitive and helpful way and very grateful for the work they have done already in supporting residents during this uncertain time.

“My comments were made as a general point on the importance of staff professionally supporting residents to remind them against acting in a way that could add further anxiety to tenants and their families.

“This has happened in isolated incidents in the past and I’m anxious that this does not happen again.

“The comments are not in any way critical of staff conduct so far. I know staff will continue to support residents and continue to talk to them and their families about any concerns.”

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My comments were made as a general point...

Somehow I don't think so: I believe they were a deliberate attempt to silence criticism, which is the way all politicians try to work. You won't silence your critics Lucas, and ballot box retribution will be taken against you for what you have done to this city.

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Care home workers union "disappointed" by abuse warning from council leader

A union which represents council care home workers has said it is “disappointed” after staff were warned they could face abuse charges if they talked about planned closures in front of residents.

But Dawn Palmer-Ward, from Coventry Unison, hit out at the comments.

She said: “It is disappointing that Coun Lucas’s words seem to reflect that staff would tittle-tattle or try to stir-up residents when that’s the last thing on their mind.

“I was at meetings where our members were told their jobs were at risk, but their first thoughts were for the residents.

“Our staff are professional and have the interests of the residents at heart.

“I don’t think our staff need to be warned about abuse, it’s quite concerning really.”

She added: “It’s a difficult situation, but ultimately it is the decision of the council to close these homes.

“We understand the arguments about the alternative options and facilities available.”

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Some Facebook comments about Lucas on this subject haven't been particularly complimentary

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Four Coventry care homes set to close - forcing 80 residents to move

Plans to shut down four of the ten council-operated care homes in the city are set to be approved in the new year.

The decision will mean more than 80 residents, some aged over 100, will be forced to move miles to alternative accommodation in the city.

Closures will take place at Frank Walsh House, Hillfields and Skipton Lodge, Upper Stoke, by September 2016. They will be followed by Halford Lodge, Keresley and Farmcote Lodge, Aldermans Green, in March 2017.

When the Telegraph first revealed the plans in July, Whitefriars - which owns the sites - said after the closures it would be “committed to the refurbishment of the schemes so that they can be used for older persons housing accommodation.”

However, the organisation has now backtracked on that promise and will only commit £3million to refurbishing two of the sites - Skipton Lodge and Halford Lodge.

Carmel McCarthy, director of housing from Whitefriars, said: “We considered the third site at Farmcote Lodge and our only reservation is to make sure there is sufficient demand for that sort of accommodation.

“The scheme at Frank Walsh is not suitable for older persons accommodation and we have no firm plans for that at the moment.”

Two learning disability day centres based at Frank Walsh House will remain open until at least March 2017 while alternative options are explored.

Coventry City Council currently spends £1.6m providing care to residents at the four sites, and wants to slash that bill by £1m.

Officials say the savings will be achieved by moving residents to 52 units it owns at the new £35m Earlsdon Care village, operated by charity Extra Care, and other council care homes in the city.

Despite this shift to move people into externally-operated care homes, the council insists it has no plans to close the remaining six sites where it provides care.

A total of 87 jobs will be put at risk as a result of the move - with only 15 vacancies available at other council-run care homes.

Coun Joe Clifford, deputy cabinet for health, said: “These are difficult decisions for us, but we are not here to provide jobs, we are here to provide care.”

He added: “The benefit of these plans is that people will have better accommodation and their care needs can be upgraded as they need it.”

The council came in for some criticism for the way it handled breaking the news after one elderly resident was taken to hospital soon after learning of the planned closures. He has since died.

But the council’s adult services director, Pete Fahy, said he believed the council had been responsible in its approach after consulting 287 people affected by the changes.

He said: “I think the information was broken in the right way. These were always likely to be unpopular proposals when you are talking to people about moving at a time when they were not considering it.

“When you look at the numbers of people we have consulted, I think we have been as responsible as we can be.”

The decision to close the care homes is due to be rubber-stamped during a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, January 5.

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The council are making political capital at the expense of the residents of these homes. - Shame on them!