Option 3: Independent sector designs, constructs and operates a new home at the former Sandye Place Academy site and the Council arranges alternative accommodation for people living at Allison House. The Council would then close the home.
What would this mean in practice?
We make a decision about the future of Allison House
Undertake a procurement process with care home providers to determine a suitable provider for the new home.
We make a decision about preferred provider
Ensure that prospective new people living at Allison House are informed about the plans for its future and how they would be affected.
Finalise arrangements for new home.
Construction of new home.
Stop new admissions to Allison House.
Engage with people living at Allison House and their representatives to gain an understanding of their needs and preferences.
Undertake assessments as necessary for each person.
Provide people with a choice of alternative accommodation that meets their needs and preferences and are within a reasonable distance. The home(s) suggested would offer good quality care, modern physical and environmental standards and fee rates that are in line with our fee structure or the host Local Authority rates.
Prepare for relocation, including logistical arrangements and having care staff from the new home coming to meet people who live at Allison House and learn their routines, likes and dislikes.
Manage the moves to alternative accommodation, following accepted best practice.
Undertake staff consultation and determine the outcome for the individuals concerned.
Formally close Allison House.
Cost
The costs would not be confirmed until people have chosen where they would like to move to. However, people would be relocated to homes where the fee rates are in line with our fee structure or the host Local Authority rates (if the home is out of area).
Our fee structure only applies to care homes in Central Bedfordshire and the fees are reviewed each year. We would no longer have to pay to run, repair and maintain the home.
Approximate timescales
- Undertake a procurement process with care home providers to determine a suitable provider for the new home – 4 months
- Finalise contractual arrangements for new home – 4 months
- Make arrangements for construction of new home – 6 months
- Construction of new home – 12 to18 months
- Undertake assessments and discuss options with people who reside at Allison House and their representatives – 6 weeks
- Make choices about a future home, prepare for relocation and make moves at appropriate times – up to 4 months
- Staff consultation period – 3 months
- Formal closure of Allison House – 3 weeks
Assumptions
We are able to secure sufficient places in new homes to meet the needs of the people living at Allison House.
Advantages
Existing and future residents would live in a home that meets modern standards.
Some people could use this opportunity to move to a home that is nearer to family and friends.
The approach supports the independent care home market because we would no longer be competing with them for customers.
The approach is fair and open to the care home market, as all homes that meet modern standards and deliver good care would be considered as relocation options for people who reside at Allison House.
We would no longer have to invest significant funds to maintain and repair an old building that does not meet standards.
We would have a surplus site which could be disposed of or given an alternative use.
Disadvantages
We cannot guarantee securing sufficient places in modern homes, with alternative provider(s), at rates affordable to us to enable closure of Allison House.
We cannot guarantee an acceptable volume of future places in modern homes, with alternative providers, at rates affordable to us.
The health and wellbeing of people living at Allison House may be negatively impacted by the disruption of a move and, in mitigation, active measures would be taken to minimise these risks. We have experience and developed best practice to help people who live in residential care homes prepare for any move and familiarise themselves with their new home and care staff (for example, using photos, visits and short videos). We would also follow best practice in a thorough handover process with the new home.
Friends and relatives of a small number of people may have to travel further to the new home
Although it is not possible to be specific about what would happen to the staff at Allison House, it appears unlikely that staff would transfer to the homes with the residents as TUPE regulations (Transfer of Undertakings, Protection of Employment) would not apply.
Initial assessment
This option is not desirable as we cannot guarantee securing sufficient places at rates affordable to us from a new home operated by the independent sector. Recent experience illustrated that where we were offering suitable land with planning consent for a modern care home, the independent sector could not guarantee a sufficient volume of places at rates affordable to us to justify this approach. Growth in the care home market in recent years tends to be strongly weighted towards self-funders, at rates unaffordable to us. These circumstances have acted as a catalyst for a strategy enabling us to secure sufficient places at affordable rates by developing Care is Central, a wholly owned company of the Council, capable of delivering high quality care at rates affordable to us, in modern buildings.