Questions over why Gloucestershire care home only has one resident
Fears over housing for young people leaving care in Gloucestershire
Questions have been raised over why a care home in Gloucester only has one person living in it.
Wheatridge Court at the end of Shergar Close in Abbeydale is run by Gloucestershire County Council, however the 36-unit care home is currently only occupied by one person.
Councillor Andrew Gravells who represents the area at Shire Hall asked council chiefs why the site is underused. Questions have been raised over why a Gloucester care home only has one person living in it.
Wheatridge Court at the end of Shergar Close in Abbeydale is run by Gloucestershire County Council.
However, the 36-unit care home is currently only occupied by one resident.
Councillor Andrew Gravells (C, Abbey), who represents the area at Shire Hall, asked council chiefs why the site is underused.
He is particularly concerned as chairman of the health overview and scrutiny committee he is constantly briefed about how the lack of adequate care packages are leading to a delay in patients being discharged.
He told the corporate overview and scrutiny committee on September 27 that there seems to be a disconnect between the NHS and Gloucestershire County Council.
“On health scrutiny we’ve spent a lot of time looking at system flow through the two main urban hospitals in Gloucestershire,” he said.
“From ambulances taking patients into the hospitals to the eventual discharge from hospital when hopefully they’ve recovered and are back on their feet.
“One of the issues around delayed discharges is because it’s considered there is not the right accommodation for people to move into. Whatever the reason that may be.
“The disconnect here I see is that in my own division for example, we have an adult social care facility called Wheatridge Court which has 36 units of accommodation available and currently, and for quite a while, that has been occupied by one resident.
“So members in my division and the wider Gloucester, say ‘Hey Gravells, you chair the health scrutiny committee, if all these people in Gloucester Royal were able to be discharged why can’t you and your county council colleagues make better use of Wheatridge Court so that it is not just utilised and occupied by just one person?’.”
He said it wasn’t the first time he had raised it with council chiefs and asked when people in his division could expect to see better use of the unoccupied units.
Neil Corbett, head of building services at Gloucestershire County Council, said he would have to defer to colleagues in the service.
Cllr Gravells said Mr Neill’s comment was very helpful but he “just didn’t get why there’s this inability to get this seriously large and useful building occupied”.
He said this could allow more people to be discharged from hospital.
Chairman Alan Preest (C, Lydney) said it was an important point and suggested it might be worth adding to a future agenda item.
Councillor Lisa Spivey (LD, South Cerney) said she would take it back to the adult social care and communities scrutiny committee which she chairs.