Care home closures plan set to go before council

The two centres, Hazelhurst in Jordanthorpe and Sevenfields in Wisewood, care for elderly people who have left hospital for up to six weeks, until they are fit to return home.

Together they employ around 70 people, who could now be facing redundancy.

NHS Sheffield says that the centres are “no longer fit for purpose” and older people requiring rehabilitation will “achieve better outcomes in 24-hour nursing care”, which Hazelhurst and Sevenfields are not registered to provide.

The centres are jointly funded by NHS Sheffield and Sheffield Council. The latter has carried out a public consultation on the closures, although the results are still set to be revealed.

After they close, elderly people in need of rehabilitation will be cared for in the private sector instead.

A spokesman for the local authority said that the two closures would save around £1.35m a year.

They added in a statement: “Officers have responded to the concerns and queries raised in the consultation by producing a document which will accompany the cabinet paper on the Sheffield Council website.

“The council and the NHS looked at lots of different options for providing the care that people get at these centres in different ways.

“The resource centre buildings are no longer fit for purpose. They lack modern facilities for rehabilitation and they share toilets and bathrooms.

“The proposal is that the NHS and the council will buy the beds from private sector providers instead.”

Richard Webb, executive director for communities at Sheffield Council, said: “Working with the NHS, the city needs to provide more nursed care for people leaving hospital, in settings which are better designed for rehabilitation.

“Although the quality of care at Hazelhurst and Sevenfields is good, neither centre provides nursed care and nor are the buildings ideal settings for intensive rehabilitation.”

He added: “We are making this proposal after extensive consultation with individuals and organisations that will be affected by these changes.

“We have tried to acknowledge their concerns where possible and will ensure they are addressed – for example, we’ll continue to monitor closely the quality of care provided by independent sector providers, who will be responsible for caring for people when they have just left hospital.”

Tim Furness, associate director of business, planning and partnerships at NHS Sheffield, said: “We want to ensure that people leaving hospital who need further care receive that care in the best possible setting.

“We recognise that Hazlehurst and Sevenfields are no longer fit for purpose and, if the proposals are approved, will commission replacement intermediate care within suitable nursed facilities.”

The closures are due to be discussed at a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, April 11.