Huddersfield Daily Examiner

Council to quit running homes

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in Mirfield and Moorlands Grange at Netherton, are likely to be taken over by Locala, the not-for-profit health firm that runs community care for the NHS in Kirklees and Calderdale.

They have no permanent residents, but both offer 40 spaces for people who need short term temporary care.

Overall, it is hoped the move will save taxpayers in excess of £1m per year.

The council could also receive cash for the sale of the operation and premises. Commenting on the plan to offload premises, built just 11 years ago, Kirklees Council’s Strategic Director for Adults and Health, Richard Parry, said: “Let’s be clear, we’re not giving them away.

“They are of a much higher standard than many existing care homes which is why we know people want to buy them. “This will be about getting the best value for local taxpayers, that isn’t just about money, it’s also about quality.

“We’ll be looking at the trade-off between those two features.”

Mr Parry revealed one of the key reasons behind the move was the increasing difficulty of meeting the standards of health watchdog, the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

He said the cost of running four homes was similar to that of running dozens of homes, which independen­t firms could do more efficientl­y.

“We anticipate buying care from a private provider will save us money,” he added.

“The CQC are rightly expecting higher standards, it’s becoming harder and harder to meet them.

“If you’re only running a couple of care homes in and amongst all the other things councils do, it’s hard to keep on top of it.

“We’ve got some great staff but this is increasing­ly a specialist business and we’re not a specialist care home provider.”

Clr Viv Kendrick, portfolio holder responsibl­e, said the council would be “exceedingl­y responsibl­e” in negotiatin­g the best deal for the 211 staff, residents and their families.

She added: “This is about doing the best for residents, and being part of the older population I’m keen we get it right.”

It is hoped both residentia­l homes will be enhanced to offer nursing care, of which there is a huge shortage in Kirklees.

Currently, if residents become in need of roundthe-clock nursing care they are asked to leave.

Only 70 of the 2,892 care homes for older people in Yorkshire are now run by local authoritie­s.

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