Care home's future to be discussed

A BRAMFORD respite care home's future is set to be discussed by councillors later this month.

Members of Suffolk County Council's cabinet will meet next Tuesdayto decide whether or not to close Cherryfields in April in a bid to save cash.

A report said the facility should only close if good quality alternative residential and other respite services were available to those who needed them.

The council said Cherryfields costs £980 per person per week, which was more than twice as much as the cost of respite care in independent homes.

It has identified 17 companies within 20 miles of Cherryfields who already provide respite care and offer potential for expansion but so far no organisation has expressed an interest in taking over the running of the home as it is now.

The council's review of the service has revealed at least two people could have respite care paid for elsewhere, for every one person currently using Cherryfields.

Graham Newman, portfolio holder for adult and community services, said: “Almost everyone who took part in the consultation praised the professionalism and warmth of the staff providing a very good service at Cherryfields. So from those who use or know Cherryfields, its not surprising most want to keep things as they are.

“However, when we had a chance to explain the high costs of Cherryfields, and how it can't cater for increasing numbers of people needing specialist facilities, then people understand why we have to look at alternatives.

“Let me pledge again, that if the cabinet decides to close respite care at Cherryfields, it will be done only when everyone has been offered proper alternative care elsewhere.”

The council hopes the money it will save by closing Cherryfields will be used instead to buy more respite care for older people with complex physical needs or dementia.