County Council moves closer to controversial handover of eight care homes - two in Erewash - to new provider

Derbyshire County Council has confirmed discussions are underway with a care provider to take over eight of nine care homes which it controversially agreed to sell-off despite public outcry and a groundswell of opposition.

The newly-elected Reform UK-controlled council is proceeding with the former Conservative-led administration’s plans for the authority to sell nine of its care homes and to reshape its in-house care services.

Cabinet Member for Adult Care, Cllr Joss Barnes, said: “Our focus remains on ensuring high quality care for residents.

“We are working with the prospective provider to support a seamless handover and have engaged only with operators which have a strong track record in delivering regulated residential care.”

Derbyshire County Council stated work is underway to ensure a smooth transition for the eight affected care homes and it is anticipated staff will transfer to the new provider with ‘continuity of care for residents and staff retention’ as a top priority.

The eight care homes which are subject to discussions with a care provider include: Briar Close, at Borrowash; Castle Court, at Swadlincote; The Grange, at Eckington; Lacemaker Court, at Long Eaton; The Leys, at Ashbourne; New Bassett House, at Shirebrook; Rowthorne, at Swanwick; And Thomas Colledge House, at Bolsover.

Opposition Labour, Liberal Democrat and Green Party councillors previously joined campaigners and concerned residents in a failed bid to stop the council selling these eight care homes.

They had argued the net savings of the decision were not stipulated in a relevant report and that no account was taken in the report of any possible increase in expenditure resulting from the decision.

The opposition councillors also argued the decision would have a detrimental effect on some of the most vulnerable older people and the changes did not take into account an increasingly older population and what they believe is an increasing demand for residential care. 

Nine Labour MPs also appealed to the former Conservative council administration in July, 2024, to reconsider its proposals to close care homes after they claimed this could prove to be ‘devastating’ with ‘serious consequences’. 

However, the former Conservative council, which had been battling a forecast multi-million pound budget deficit, had argued changes would support the council’s intention to create a sustainable service focusing more on specialist services for people with dementia and their carers, offering long-term residential care and flexible day and overnight breaks to support carers. 

They also claimed the changes would allow for greater integration with health partners to provide short-term support and assessment services to help timely discharges from hospital, prevent unplanned hospital admissions and reduce the risk of readmission helping people stay at home. 

The current Reform-UK controlled council stated the care homes were made available as going concerns following a public consultation into changes to the way the council now aims to provide in-house care. 

It added that the focus of the council’s in-house care homes is now for the growing number of people with dementia and their carers including long-term specialist dementia care coupled with respite day and night breaks. 

Cllr Barnes added: “An increasing number of people are being diagnosed with dementia which means there’s a growing demand for specialist care. 

“There’s been a decline in demand for traditional residential care as more people are choosing to stay in their own homes for longer, and with the right care they can. 

“By transforming our in-house care services we’re not only creating a sustainable service able to help more people to remain living independently at home, which is what they tell us they want, it is also supporting carers by offering more respite and day care for those with dementia.” 

In addition, the new Reform council administration has confirmed plans are still underway for a ninth council care home, Ada Belfield, in Belper, to be marketed on a ‘going concern basis’ with the council also seeking to transfer the care home to a provider with a proven track record. 

Belper Together campaigners, who submitted a petition with over 5,000 names in opposition to the sale of Ada Belfield and have repeatedly held protests and rallies, were recently promised by the Reform-UK council that if the planned sale of its Ada Belfield care home goes ahead costs will not be increased for the elderly residents.

Cllr Barnes previously stated current residents will remain at the home under any new provider at no additional cost and staff will not lose their jobs because they too will move forward with any new provider and he argued that by selling and or leasing this care home the council is expected to make efficiency savings and reduce its overspend.

He also confirmed the council will be offering a commercial lease for this site but this will not impact on the running of the Ada Belfield centre’s library.

However, Belper Together campaigners fear residents could face future top-up fees with no upper limit to the amount charged.

The campaigners claim privatisation gives care companies the freedom to raise fees to any level they choose and the campaigners claim that nearly 90per cent of private care home residents nationally require council supplements to pay for their accommodation.   

Union Branch Secretary of Derbyshire UNISON, Martin Porter, said: “This so-called ‘update’ tells us nothing at all. 

“UNISON has always opposed selling off our care homes to the private sector, homes paid for by Derbyshire taxpayers and run by dedicated staff. 

“But now staff and vulnerable residents have been left in the dark for months. We were told we’d know who was buying the first eight homes back in April. It’s nearly five months on, and still no answers. 

“People deserve to know: are these sales all tied together? Is that why there’s been so much delay? 

“The council needs to come clean and give families, residents and staff the certainty they deserve.” 

Cllr Barnes thanked all the care home residents and their families for their patience during recent months and he thanked ‘our care home colleagues’ who he said have continued to offer exceptional care to residents throughout.