Have your say on whether a Garstang residential home is replaced

A public consultation has been launched into the possible replacement of a Garstang residential home.
Bowgreave Rise Residential Care Home was built in 1970Bowgreave Rise Residential Care Home was built in 1970
Bowgreave Rise Residential Care Home was built in 1970

Under the proposals, Bowgreave Rise Home for Older People, in Garstang Road, would be replaced with an extra care scheme comprising 68 one and two bedroomed self-contained flats.

Lancashire County Council, which own the facility, said each new flat would have its own bathroom, kitchen/lounge and bedroom(s), and there would also be communal facilities including a restaurant and lounge. Care and support staff would be on site at all times.

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If the plans go ahead the new scheme would be built on land at the Bowgreave Rise site. The current care home building would remain open until the new facility is ready.

The current care home, which was built in 1970, has a layout which makes it increasingly difficult to meet modern quality standards and residents have to share toilets and bathrooms.

County Councillor Graham Gooch, cabinet member for adult services, said: "We really want to hear from people about these plans to modernise the care provision at Bowgreave Rise.

"The staff at the home do a great job and based on its last inspection in January last year (2019) it has a 'Good' CQC rating.

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"But the home also has a poor layout and the physical condition of the building is deteriorating.

"We also know that more and more people want to live independently as they get older, and have a place they can call home with their own front door.

"Extra care is a great way of providing that, while also ensuring care and support workers are available 24/7 for those who need that level of support.

"Evidence shows these types of facilities help people to enjoy a more active lifestyle, while also helping to reduce admissions into hospital and traditional residential care homes.

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"Already we have a number of these schemes operating successfully and they are becoming an ever more important part of our health and social care system across the county."

If the proposal goes ahead, following a social care assessment, residents would either move into the extra care scheme when it has been completed, or have the choice of moving to another setting as determined by their needs and wishes.

Residents, their families and staff have already been invited to a series of meetings to discuss the consultation and will be kept fully informed of the process.

The eight week long consultation will also ask for views about demolition of the existing care home and building supported housing or bungalows for people with social care needs on the site.

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Once all the responses to the consultation have been received, they will be carefully analysed before county councillors make a final decision later in the year.

To share your views as part of the Bowgreave Rise consultation, click here