Older people's care in Suffolk to receive £60m for new care homes and wellbeing centres

Suffolk County Council has approved a contract for Care UK to invest over £60 million in 10 new care homes and 10 new wellbeing centres for the county.

The council’s vision for older people’s care was identified several years ago to help meet the increasing demand for specialist residential and nursing care for frail older people in the county. This included supporting the growing Suffolk population living with dementia, and providing additional day care services.

Through a tender process, the council sought a partner with financial strength to fund a substantial building modernisation programme. Key requirements included a sustainable way to provide high quality specialist care while achieving better value for money and certainty over future costs.

Care UK will assume day to day operational responsibility of Suffolk County Council’s 16 older people’s care homes and 8 wellbeing centres. By 2016, 10 new homes and 10 new wellbeing centres will replace the existing homes and wellbeing centres through Care UK’s £60 million investment programme.

The council’s existing homes were mainly built in the 1960s and 1970s and are recognised by the council as ‘not being fit for purpose’.

Over 1,000 council employees will transfer to Care UK on their existing terms.

Castleoak, a developer that works exclusively in the care sector will construct the new care homes and wellbeing centres for Care UK.

Toby Siddall, Care UK’s residential care services managing director, said: “We are delighted to have been selected by Suffolk County Council to deliver this crucial local service on the strength of our experience in operating care homes, our ability to provide high quality dementia care and deliver a £60 million investment plan. We have a strong East Anglian heritage and 30 years’ of experience in running care homes so this is a natural fit into Care UK’s future.”

“Budgetary pressures, growing demand for places in homes and higher expectations of quality are giving local authorities quite a challenge in terms of council care home provision at the moment. Suffolk County Council has selected an innovative solution that I believe is unique in the sector.”

Frances Gibson, Care UK’s director of nursing and clinical and care governance, said: “Once we’ve got to know the residents and their family and friends, we’ll start to share more information with them about what our new homes are like – light, airy, with en-suite facilities in every room and dedicated activity coordinators whose job it is to find out what residents like to do and arrange events, hobby sessions and visits for everyone.

“New homes will also have a team of highly trained nurses and modern facilities for people who need higher levels of care. At the moment, the residents in the current homes often have to move out into another facility which is able to provide nursing and dementia care.”

In addition, work on two new Care UK homes for older people in Edinburgh and Kent is nearing completion and a new home for people with mental health conditions opened in Hull in May this year.