South Ayrshire Council is to create a purpose built residential facility for older people on a site in Ayr that is adjacent to Seafield Hospital.

In July 2006 the Council decided that both South Lodge and Templeton House should be replaced with one purpose built unit.  The new unit will provide an opportunity to create a facility that meets registration standards as set by the Care Commission and to register it as a single care home and employ the necessary nursing staff.

Councillor Gibson T. Macdonald, Convener of the Policy and Resources Committee and Leader of the Council said:  “By 2020 South Ayrshire will nationally have the third highest number of older people and the second highest number of older people over 85 years of age living within its boundaries.  The future demography of South Ayrshire means that the Council must make plans and take action to meet the standards set by the Scottish Government in terms of the Community Care Act 1993.

“Nowadays more and more older people want to stay in their own homes and hopefully this will free up more hospital beds.  However, for those who cannot remain at home and need special care a new unit will meet this need.”

Negotiations are already ongoing with NHS Ayrshire and Arran to explore the possibility of joint facilities within the new unit, however, the replacement facility for South Lodge and Templeton House would be managed by the Council.  Staff employed by the Council in both South Lodge and Templeton House would transfer to the new unit with nursing staff being employed to meet the Care Commission’s requirements.

There is a tree preservation order on the site that will need to be taken into account when designing and building the new unit.  The new build capacity would be 54 beds and it is anticipated that the new building will be of one and a half storeys with the upper floor for short term ‘Up and About’ (intermediate care) – a service to promote independence and rehabilitation for those service users who will be returning home.  The lower floor would be for service users who will be in longterm care.

As part of the proposals to work in partnership with NHS Ayrshire and Arran both the laundry and catering facilities would be provided by the health board from its Arrol Park site, as this would be the most cost effective way of providing these pre-requisite services.

The vacated sites/units of South Lodge and Templeton House will be sold, realising a significant Capital asset to the Council, it is estimated that the cost of providing a purpose built 54 bed facility on the Seafield site will be £4.7m.  There will be a capital receipt from the sale of the vacated sites/units of South Lodge and Templeton House once the new unit is completed. The Council has already agreed that the proceeds from the sale will be placed in the Capital Fund to be used to bridge the PPP affordability gap.

The cost of building the new facility can either be accommodated in the General Services Capital Programme or by new borrowing. Funding the project from within the capital programme will significantly reduce the funds available for other projects.

The Council’s Director of Social Work, Housing and Health will progress the project and implement the decision of Committee with NHS Ayrshire and Arran; the Head of Finance and ICT; Depute Chief Executive/Director of Development, Safety and Regulation in relation to planning consent and appropriate tendering/contractual arrangements that will be required for the new unit and will keep the Committee fully updated on the progress of the project.

November 2006