First of Care UK's ten controversial new care homes wins planning approval

The first of Care UK’s ten new care homes, that are replacing 16 local authority care homes in Suffolk, has been given planning approval.

The transfer of Suffolk’s local authority care homes to the private equity-owned healthcare company Care UK, was put on hold last year after Labour councilors from Suffolk County Council called for the plan to be re-examined.

Doubts were raised about the effect it would have on smaller care homes in the community and if the change would bring any real financial benefits for the council. However, after a scrutiny committee reviewed the transfer decision, the development plans were given approval.

The transfer has now been given the go-ahead and Ipswich Borough Council has granted planning approval for the care home and a wellbeing centre offering day care clubs and activities for older people, which will mark the start of a construction programme of new homes across Suffolk from Care UK.

Care UK became responsible for Suffolk County Council’s 16 existing care homes and eight wellbeing centres in December 2012, moving 900 former Suffolk County Council employees to become part of their Care UK team.

The private company’s £60m investment programme will see the construction of 10 new care homes and 10 wellbeing centres around the county between now and 2016.

Chris Hopkinson, regional operations director of Care UK, said: “We are very pleased to get the go ahead to develop our first new care home and wellbeing centre in Ipswich, which is the first in a carefully coordinated and phased investment programme which will help meet the increasing demand for modern older people’s care including specialist dementia services.”

The new care home on the site of the former Chantry Infant School in Aster Road in Ipswich will house 80 residents.

The new care home will provide nursing care and specialist dementia care services and the wellbeing centre will have a small cinema and hairdressers.

Councillor Colin Noble said: “This is a landmark deal in which we’re bringing £60m of new investment to care homes.”

The current residential homes that Care UK will be replacing date mainly from the 1960s and 1970s and had been labelled by Suffolk council as ‘not fit for purpose’. The approval of their replacement has been described by Cllr Noble, cabinet member for health and adult care at Suffolk County Council as: “The first step in realising the vision we developed with Care UK for the future of residential care in the county.”

For more information on this story go to www.carehome.co.uk/news/article.cfm/id/1558206/transfer-of-suffolks-local-authority-care-homes-to-care-uk-put-on-hold

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