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Another three care homes set for closure or sale

George Torr
BBC News, Derby
Mel Duffy/BBC People marching outside the Ada Belfield care home in Belper. There's a sign that reads "care not despair"Mel Duffy/BBC
More than 200 people protested against the plans to close or sell off Ada Belfield care home in Belper

More Derbyshire County Council-run care homes are set to be closed or sold off despite mass opposition to the plans.

The council has recommended that the Ada Belfield Centre in Belper be sold, while residential and respite care at The Staveley Centre, in Staveley, and Thomas Fields in Buxton, will end and only provide hospital discharge beds.

It comes after more than 5,000 people signed a petition against the closure of the the Ada Belfield Centre site last week.

Cabinet members are expected to rubber-stamp the proposals next week.

The latest announcement comes on the back of the closure of eight authority-run care homes and five dementia day centres across the county last November.

Council bosses said financial pressures and the need to remodel the social care service to provide more specialist dementia care were behind the plans.

Just under 800 people responded to the consultation into the future of Ada Belfield Centre, Staveley Centre and Thomas Fields.

More than 350 responses were received on closer integration with Derbyshire Community Health Services NHS Foundation Trust (DCHS).

George Torr/BBC Image of Natalie Hoy. She is wearing a black suit jacket and has a purple lanyard around her neck.George Torr/BBC
Natalie Hoy said the projected increase in dementia diagnosis across the region meant the authority had to change the way it provided services

Councillor Natalie Hoy, cabinet member for adult care at the council, said: "People tell us they want to remain in their own homes for as long as possible, which has led to a decline in demand for traditional residential care and a rise in demand for specialist care, including nursing care, which we're not legally allowed to provide.

"By remodelling our in-house care services, we aim to help even more people to live at home by supporting them to come home from hospital, prevent unnecessary hospital admission and help people with more complex needs by creating wraparound care for those with dementia – including overnight respite and day breaks - to help support carers.

"I recognise this is a difficult time for our residents and their families, and I would like to assure them their health and wellbeing remains our top priority, and we will do everything we can to support them throughout this time."

Hoy added the library, which is run from the Ada Belfield site, would remain unaffected.

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