THE closure of a care home in Mitcheldean is looking like a ‘done deal’ the Review has been told, despite local people ‘spilling on to the street’ at a parish council meeting to discuss the proposal.

On Wednesday, July 18, Gloucestershire County Council’s cabinet is being asked to consider plans to shut down Townsend House, but district councillor and chair of Mitcheldean Parish Council, Jackie Fraser (Lab, Mitcheldean and Drybrook) says that at a meeting held on Monday evening (July 9) council representatives told attendees that the home was closing as it was losing money.

The Orders of St John Care Trust (OSJCT), which runs the home, Townsend House, says it has beds for up to 40 residents, but currently runs with less than 80 per cent occupancy, meaning they cannot cover costs.

“People were spilling on to the street at the meeting,” said Cllr Fraser. “About 30 to 35 people came despite the short notice and it became clear that the consultation that is planned following the meeting next week isn’t about whether to close it, but about what will happen to staff and residents.

“It’s a done deal and is purely a cost-cutting exercise.

“This announcement was a huge shock and came completely out of the blue. There are two issues and each is equally as important and traumatic for those involved.

“To begin with there are the residents, who need nursing care and many of whom have dementia. Moving them will be horrendous for them and very confusing. And OSJCT are claiming that people want to stay in their own homes, but there comes a point with dementia where that just isn’t possible.

“The home also employs 60 people. OSJCT is claiming that there won’t be redundancies, but many of the people who work at Townsend House are very local and don’t drive. Moving to another OSJCT home isn’t necessarily an option.

“We don’t feel that OSJCT have worked hard enough to fill these beds, for instance by looking across the border into Herefordshire. Work should have gone into this first.”

Dan Hayes, chief executive at OSJCT, said: “Townsend House dates back to the 1960s and since then care in the county has changed significantly, with more people choosing to live at home or individuals having more complex needs that the care homes were not designed to cater for. Townsend House has been significantly impacted by these changes.

“Our priority is the wellbeing of our residents and we, along with the council, will be providing support to all individuals and families affected to ensure a smooth transition to alternative local accommodation if the proposal is supported.

“On the basis that the home closes, all our employees will be offered roles in other OSJCT homes and hence we are not planning for any redundancies.

“The county councils will also be asked to approve a 12-week consultation to give residents, families and employees time to consider and put forward options for onward care.

“In discussions with the council we have been unable to find any alternative options that would make these homes viable.

“Gloucestershire Care Partnership (GCP) has therefore asked that cabinet consider its proposals to close the home and help residents relocate to existing homes in the local area that suit their needs.”

Cllr Roger Wilson, cabinet member for adult social care commissioning at Gloucestershire County Council, said: “I would like to reassure residents, their families and staff that if the decision is taken to close the home, we will do all we can to support them.

“We will make sure they understand all of the options that are available to them and are helped through this period of change.”

“This is a financially motivated decision,” Cllr Fraser added.

“If the home closes, the council is likely to sell off the land for development, so it will make money from the closure.

“I’ve never heard any-one complain about conditions at the home. This is happening all over the country and once these homes are gone, they are gone.

“There is a massive human cost to this decision, and it’s being ignored.”

The report will be presented to cabinet on July 18.