Runwood Homes outlines commitment to Nottinghamshire care homes formerly run by local council

Nottinghamshire County Council have completed the transfer of six care homes to private sector provider Runwood Homes, who have agreed to freeze residents’ fees for a period of three years as part of the deal.

Councillors are satisfied they have found a care provider with a “successful track record of taking on and improving former local authority care homes”, allowing the council to save £900,000 a year running the facilities. The authority is attempting to save £187m from its budget over the next four years, although the £2.5m received from Runwood Homes will allow for investments in other forms of care provision, such as extra care.

The loss of public sector care home provision has proved controversial in Nottinghamshire, but Runwood Homes owners hope that new investment and modernisation will help those concerned to feel optimistic that the homes have a healthy future and will continue to benefit their communities.

Director of operational services, David Parry, commented: “Runwood Homes has committed to investing at least £500,000 in each of the six care homes over the next five years. Environmental audits have now been carried out on all the homes to determine which areas need investment. Planning applications have been submitted to increase the number of bedrooms at each home from between 20–32 beds per property.

“We have already facilitated our Dementia Champions Course resulting in thirty-six people completing the course (six in each home) to enable our Living in Full Engagement programme to be rolled out in the homes. “Our transition team is in place and will continue to work with all the stakeholders to continue to provide a service to the older people of Nottingham and beyond.”

The provider has now expanded its portfolio to forty-seven care accommodations, with the six new homes being Bramwell Care Home, Braywood Gardens, Jubilee Court, Leawood Manor, Maun View and Westwood. The expansion also takes Runwood Homes into the Midlands for the first time, with its other facilities located in the East of England, in Suffolk, Norfolk, Essex, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire, together with four homes in Northern Ireland.