Question mark over future of care home
Alternative uses considered
Uncertainty surrounds the future use of a rural care home which has just one permanent resident.
In 2016 Stirling Council gave a commitment that any current residents of Strathendrick Care Home in Balfron would continue to be cared for there as long as they or their families wished them to remain.
The 12-bed care home had been faced with closure in order to support the funding of Stirling’s Care Village, but local councillors had persuaded the council of the need for a local care hub serving the western rural areas, providing short term respite care and intermediate care.
The cash-strapped Integrated Joint Board, however, the body now responsible for some aspects of local social care and health, is thought to make the ultimate decisions relating to allocating resources.
A meeting of Stirling Council’s finance committee yesterday (Thursday) heard that alternative uses were being considered for the building.
Tory group leader Neil Benny said ward councillor Alistair Berrill had been
“considerably worried” by a statement in an officers’ report which said: “The budget for this home was transferred to the Bellfield Centre (Stirling Care Village) as per the approved business case for the care village.
“The costs of keeping this home open for the remainder of the year are projected to be £547,000, although discussions are continued with the Integrated Joint Board (IJB) partners to minimise the impact.”
“This facility was to be retained for respite care specifically to help the locality out there,” said Councillor Benny. “Reading that it looks like we are trying to shut it.
“Also, would the decision to retain it or not be in the power of Stirling Council or of the IJB?”
Senior manager for children and families, Marie Valente said: “I wouldn’t be in a position to give reassurance other than I paid a site visit last week to look at the possibility of using Strathendrick for other types of care. We are at the stage of considering this just now and whether it can be used for children. (Chief officer for Clackmannanshire and Stirling Health and Social Care Partnership) AnnMargaret Black is looking to see if it can be used for adults with disabilities.
“But it is in the very early stages. We want to make the best use of it and get the overspend down.
“There is one permanent resident there, a man aged 91, and it has been used for a very small number of older people for respite.
“So it is being used, but not fully utilised and we need to make better use of it. I wouldn’t want to be placed in a position of saying anything definitive just now.”
Council leader Scott Farmer, who is a member of the IJB, said: “It’s my clear understanding that under the terms of the care partnership it’s up to the board.
“They are looking at how best to utilise resources and how they are deployed across the Health and Social Care Partnership area.
“At the moment there’s currently no budget for it and there’s an options appraisal going on to see how best to utilise it.
“Having a single resident in a care home is not ideal for anyone.
“What I will say is in terms of locality and transforming to other areas of neighbourhood care it would be looking at what role Strathendrick Care Home can play in that locality.
“The board is very acutely aware in terms of any changes to care provision that it has to be involved in extensive consultation with communities and localities when there are changes on such a scale, but there is an option appraisal to see how Strathendrick Care Home can best be utilised.”
Councillor Benny asked for a report to come back detailing whether the IJB could make decisions potentially affecting any other council assets. Committee chair Councillor Margaret Brisley said: “We will be keeping an eye on this with interest.”