MP vows to fight Chesterfield care home closure plan

Derbyshire County Council has announced plans to consult on the possible closure of seven care homes, including East Clune in Clowne, and Holmlea in Tibshelf, as well as The Spinney, Landsdowne Road, Woodlands, Brimington.

It says the homes “need significant improvement due to the deteriorating state of the buildings” and, even if repairs were carried out, “some of the homes are no longer fit for the purpose of providing high-quality care for older people with increasingly complex needs”.

However, Peter and Val Brassington, of Linacre Wood, say Peter’s 100-year-old mother Rhoda would struggle to cope if she had to leave The Spinney, where she has lived for the past four years.

Now Toby Perkins, Chesterfield MP, has taken up the case.

He said: “The proposed closure of local authority care homes, including The Spinney in my constituency, is already causing a great deal of worry and stress for the residents of the homes and their families, such as the Brassingtons.

“Peter’s mother, Rhoda, will be 101 years old next month and she is settled and happy at The Spinney.

“Derbyshire County Council is telling me the cost of bringing these homes up to standard is not practicable.

“I am not convinced this is the case, but, even if it were, then the council needs to be creating new facilities before they close these ones.

"The council admits it doesn't have enough domestic care beds to house all those who would be displaced if these homes close.

“It also says it wants to move towards a ‘more independent model’ – already there are many people who are very frail by the time they are admitted to a care home, and so this suggests that once again the council is planning to cut vital services to the most vulnerable.

“I will be visiting The Spinney to discuss these issues and the proposals with the staff and residents.

“I will be opposing these proposals and fighting to keep The Spinney open.

“We need more care homes in Derbyshire to help address the health and social care crisis and to stop bed-blocking in NHS hospitals.”