The petition of the residents of Erewash,
Declares that Ladycross House Local Authority Care Home, which serves the community of Sandiacre and surrounding area, provides an excellent, caring home for residents; and notes that a decision to close this care home will have significant negative consequences for residents, their families and staff, in addition to local NHS provision.
The petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urges the Government to press upon Derbyshire County Council to keep Ladycross House Local Authority Care Home open and, at the same time, design and implement a long-term plan for the care of elderly residents, not only in Erewash, but across the county of Derbyshire.
And the petitioners remain, etc.—[Presented by Maggie Throup, Official Report, 29 April 2020; Vol. 675, c. 8P .]
[P002566]
Observations from The Minister for Care (Helen Whately):
The Government are aware that Derbyshire County Council carried out a 12-week consultation about the closure of seven homes and the refurbishment of three other older care homes, in order to gather thoughts of residents, relatives, friends or advocates. The consultation has now concluded, and the council’s cabinet will reach a decision in due course.
We understand that the proposed closure of Ladycross House Care Home is due to the need for electrical rewiring, and Derbyshire County Council is pursuing a strategy to improve the physical quality of homes in its region, as well as focusing on prevention and early intervention.
Local authorities are best placed to make decisions about commissioning the services that their local communities need, working with local people and stakeholders. High-quality, personalised care and support can only be achieved where there is a vibrant, responsive market of service providers. The role of local authorities is critical to achieving this, both through actions taken to directly commission services from providers to meet needs, and the broader understanding and interactions it facilitates with the wider market, for the benefit of all local people and communities.
Under the 2014 Care Act, local authorities have a duty to ensure continuity of care if a provider exits the market, there should never be a gap in the care that an individual receives.