Care home rated excellent – victim of the budget cuts
Care home victim of the budget cuts
Reporter: Richard Hooton
Date online: 11 March 2011
A CARE home rated as excellent is being closed due to council budget cuts.
Limecroft Care Home, White Bank Road, Limeside, which provides respite care and has a day centre for people with dementia, is due to shut at the end of the month.
Council chiefs say the centre is underused and places at other facilities will be used instead.
But families are upset that a respected establishment will go and say 21 residents are currently cared for there.
After its last inspection from the Care Quality Commission the home was given a three-star excellent rating.
One woman, whose mum is a patient, said: “The care there has been wonderful. It is such a shame to be shutting such a marvellous home.
“We haven’t got a clue what’s going to happen and when. The council seems to be trying to get the patients into private residential care. It seems to be shutting all the homes down. It doesn’t seem to be bothered about providing care any more.”
Former Oldham Mayor Joe Farquhar recently spoke out in the Chronicle about the great care provided by Limecroft to his mother after she suffered a stroke — and criticised the impending closure. He said: “All the staff from the fully-trained carers to the catering and domestic staff, are well trained to deal with newly-diagnosed dementia suffers and their families and friends as well as respite care.
“It seems to me that cuts always take place at the sharp end and where the people of the town are most affected.”
Council deputy leader Councillor Jackie Stanton, who is also cabinet member for adults and health, said: “Like all other local authorities across the country Oldham Council is facing tough and challenging decisions about reducing spending across all areas
“Following a formal public consultation with service users, their families and our partners the authority has proposed the closure of Limecroft care home.
“However, no-one will lose out on any of the services they receive at Limecroft, as these will now be provided at other council centres.
“Currently the number of beds used by respite and short stay patients at Limecroft are underused. It is proposed these places will be transferred to the specialist care centre at Medlock Court, where patients will continue to receive the highest standards of care.
“Likewise, the day centre which provides services for people with dementia only has a 50 per cent uptake for places. The Highbarn Centre will now provide this valuable service under the new plans, maximising use of the facilities on site.
“I understand concerns about these changes but I can assure them Oldham Council and its partners will continue to provide excellent provision for all our service users and value for money.”
