Date published: 2023-11-10 | Category: Adult Social Care and Health, Giving people a bigger say
People are being asked for their views on plans to reshape care for people being looked after in three Bath & North East Somerset Council-run community resource centres.
A consultation has been launched with residents, families, staff and the wider community on the care proposals.
The council is asking for people’s views on plans which would see Cleeve Court Residential Home in Bath becoming a centre of excellence for dementia care including nursing care.
The plans would also enable younger people with complex needs to live closer to home with an enhanced offer for them at Combe Lea, in Midsomer Norton. Eleven places at Charlton House Nursing Home, in Keynsham, would also be moved to Cleeve Court or other provision.
Charlton House Nursing Home currently has 11 out of 30 beds occupied. It would be retained for other community provision to meet the current and future needs of residents. The premises remain suitable for community and care uses, and discussions are under way with the partners on how the building could be used in the future.
Proposals also include the opportunity for community groups and charitable organisations’ use of day centre spaces at the community resource centres at a reduced rental rate if the organisations offer services that are accessible to the care home residents and the community.
Extra Care schemes and sheltered housing provision currently provided at Community Resource Centre sites in partnership with housing providers will not be affected by these proposals.
Councillor Alison Born, cabinet member for Adult Services, said: “We have reviewed the three homes where we provide registered care for up to 105 people and we are now asking people for their comments on our proposals which will bring about improvements to the care we provide but also changes for those who receive that care. I am very aware that we are consulting on people’s homes so residents, their families and staff must have their say on any plans we make. We must also bear in mind that providing care is very costly and like every council there are huge pressures on our budgets. The decisions we take will always be in the best interests of the people we care for now and into the future.”
All three Community Resource Centres came back to the council three years ago. Overall the CRC provision includes Charlton House which is registered to provide 30 nursing care beds over two separate floors, Combe Lea which provides 30 registered care beds and Cleeve Court which provides 45 registered care beds.
All have been invested in significantly, including increased pay for staff and training and equipment to support care. However rising costs including agency cost pressures could see the service face a potential £1 million overspend in the next financial year.
Following a CQC inspection in last October a number of concerns were identified at Charlton House and to help address them, 15 nursing care beds were temporarily withdrawn. Significant progress has been made since this time and the CQC has rated the service as ‘requires improvement’.
A report on the proposal which went before Councillor Born says there is ample alternative provision of general nursing care home services for adults in B&NES but there are shortfalls in complex needs services.
And it says that the Charlton House building, which is relatively new and is of high quality, is suitable for several accommodation uses which are being explored with partners.
A public drop-in event is being held on 23 November at 11.30am, at Charlton House and people will be able to find out more about the proposals, speak to officers about them, and share their views face-to-face.
To take part in the consultation, which ends at 5pm Monday 18 December, go online on our website If you require urgent support, a printed survey, information in another format including audio, braille, large print, Easy-Read or in another language, please contact the CRC Consultation team. You can contact the CRC Consultation team by emailing CRC_Consultation@bathnes.gov.uk, or by calling Council Connect on 01225 39 40 41.
ENDS