Shake up in future care for Norfolk's elderly
SHAUN LOWTHORPE

Last updated: 08/09/2010 15:00:00

Far reaching proposals to shake-up the provision of council-run care for the elderly in Norfolk are to take a major step forward.

In Norfolk the numbers of over 85s is set to double in the next 20 years increasing pressure on public provision at a time when finances are at full stretch and set to diminish in the wake of government spending cuts.

Now in a radical shift from existing care provision, Norfolk County Council wants to team up with its commercial offshoot, Norse, to form a new company, Newco, to replace the existing 26 residential homes with six specialist dementia units and 10 new housing-with-care schemes, on top of the 13, which have already been built.

The new firm, which if approved would be set up next April, would borrow £50m to invest in the new homes, while 1,800 council staff would also be transferred to work for the new company.

Supporters believe the plans, which will be considered by councillors next week, offer the best of both worlds by combining commercial know-how with a strong public sector ethos helping to keep standards up across the board, while also containing spending on care, which currently totals £30m a year.

But the replacement programme will see some residents moved from their homes in to the new sites, and also raises the prospect for some families of having to travel further to visit their loved ones.

And today the organisation representing private and voluntary homes said there were also concerns that the new company could skewer the care market and put more pressure on the private sector at a time when commissioners, such as the county council, are already putting pressure on homes to discount costs.

David Harwood, cabinet member for adult and community services, said it was important to remember that the changes would not happen overnight and a full consultation would be carried out

“Our aim is to provide more care places, at better value and in better buildings,” Mr Harwood said.

But Dennis Bacon, chairman of Norfolk Independent Care, the umbrella body representing private and voluntary sectors, said he was concerned about the scale of the plans and said councillors must ensure a proper transparent process was carried out before setting up the new set up.

James Bullion, the council's assistant director of Community Services, said the idea would be to build two new homes a year as existing homes are gradually closed. And to keep costs down, the homes would be larger with up 50 residents catered for instead of 35.

He said the idea was that the council would act as a 'moderator' in the market to help keep standards up, while the changes would also provide more certainty for staff.

Jonathan Dunning, from Norfolk County Unison also welcomed the changes.

“There are uncertainties for staff and residents, but for more than 10 years there have been concerns about the state of the buildings with a piecemeal approach to solving the problems,” Mr Dunning said. “This brings it all together in a cordinated way.”

Members of the council's community services and scrutiny overview and scrutiny panel will consider the plans next Tuesday, with the council's ruling cabinet expected to make a final decision in October.

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