Broughtonlocal

New Barrow care home set to open in 3 years

Last updated at 14:11, Tuesday, 02 November 2010

A NEW care home looks set to open in Barrow within three years.

Cumbria County Council hopes to complete the state-of-the-art, 60-bed home by 2013.

The home will be at the back of the former Parkview School or opposite the Abbey Meadow nursing home in Rating Lane.

Mark Hastings, manager for adult social care provision at the county council, told yesterday’s Barrow Local Committee meeting the council is looking to establish which site is the most suitable. He said: “The task now is the difficult task. We have to work on bettering our community services.

“We are now starting the process of building the new home, but also closing the four homes that are not fit for purpose.”

Mr Hastings said the council is working on developing a delivery plan for community services and how it can new integrate technology into the home and existing accommodation.

As part of the revamp of services, four care homes in Furness will shut. West Point House on Walney is to close in March 2011, followed by George Basterfield House in Barrow, which will shut in December 2011.

Bevan House and Rock Lea, both in Barrow, will close once the new home is ready.

Mr Hastings said the council hoped to avoid job losses over the next three years, but would use a process of selective voluntary redundancy, if needed.

The closure of the four homes will see the number of care staff reduced from around 200 to 160.

Councillor Anne Burns said she was confident jobs will be created in the care sector in Barrow.

She said: “We are looking at more care in the community. This is something for the future and we don’t want people losing their jobs.”

Councillor Ray Guselli praised the consultation work of Mr Hastings’ department and said the new home is an exciting development.

He said: “It’s going to be an absolutely wonderful, state-of-the-art development and another stage in the regeneration of Barrow.”

First published at 14:09, Tuesday, 02 November 2010
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk