Consultation on Abbotsbury older persons' home

About our consultation on Abbotsbury older persons' home

Consultation closed: 29 January 2021
Consultation opened: 23 October 2020

What we consulted on

We want the best possible quality of life for all residents and are committed to developing and improving accommodation with care for older people. We own and operate four care homes which no longer meet the physical standards and expectations of people needing residential care now or in the future.

We've been investigating options and opportunities in the Biggleswade area. The planned opening of Mantles Court on London Road, Biggleswade, along with other good quality care and nursing homes in the area means that we can now consider offering alternative and improved accommodation to residents of Abbotsbury older persons’ home (“Abbotsbury”).

So, we consulted on the future of Abbotsbury. Having reviewed a number of options for the future of the home, our current preferred option is to offer and arrange accommodation for the existing residents in good quality alternative care homes and then close Abbotsbury.

Consultation timescales

  • 23 October 2020: consultation opens
  • 29 January 2021: consultation closes
  • 13 April 2021: report to Executive for decision
  • 23 April 2021: implementation of Executive decision

How we consulted

Anyone could respond to the consultation. 

View or download options considered for the future of Abbotsbury older persons’ home (PDF).

We welcomed any questions about the options and suggestions for other ideas.

For those people who are most directly affected by the proposal (the people who live at Abbotsbury, their relatives and the staff who work there) we organised meetings to enable everyone who wanted to, to participate in the consultation. The meetings were held in line with the latest legislation, government guidance and our COVID-19 Local Outbreak Control Plan and remotely wherever possible.

The options offered included:

  • meetings for residents, relatives and staff (either in small groups or one to one); these meetings will be facilitated remotely wherever possible and appropriate
  • meetings facilitated in a way which meets each individual’s communication needs
  • communications via post, email or over the phone to residents, relatives and staff to inform them of activities and the progress of the consultation

The consultation activities with residents and relatives were tailored to individual requirements.

We took special care to ensure that the people who live in the home were consulted, without causing distress to those who had difficulty understanding what was happening. We discussed this with the people who know the residents best: their relatives and the staff in the home.

For those residents needed help, we offered support through advocates provided by POhWER, an independent organisation, who assisted them to ensure that they can express their views.

In addition, we offered to discuss the proposals with other individuals and organisations who would like to know more.