Seven care homes in Hampshire are set for closure by county council

The seven closures which are being put forward would allow the service to focus on providing care for people with more complex nursing and dementia needs, the council says.

The closures, which form part of the authority’s capital strategy, will directly impact residents and their families who live in the care homes. They will be phased over time, with the council saying the move will increase the overall number of local authority beds from just over 900 to around 1,000. As part of the consultation, proposals to build three new nursing homes and modernise and expand existing ones will also be considered.

At the county council’s cabinet (July 18) meeting, executive lead member for adult social care and public health, councillor Liz Fairhurst indicated she is not worried about moving people since the county council has experienced similar situations previously.

She said: “I have been part of the process in the past when we closed homes. Once we managed to move people to other homes, I actually received emails from relatives saying ‘thank you’ because their loved ones were much healthier in their new locations.

“They objected at the time, and after settling down, they were happy.

“I’m not worried about moving people. We have got the experience. This is something we have been waiting for a long time, and I am really pleased we have come to this stage.”

ALSO READ: Portsmouth care home launches legal battle against CQC

Due to ‘operational resilience reasons’, Cranleigh Paddock in Lyndhurst and Copper Beeches in Andover were temporarily closed at the end of November 2021. It is proposed that these two homes be permanently closed and alternative uses or disposal of the sites be considered. An additional three homes, Bishops Waltham House (35 beds), Solent Mead in Lymington (35 beds), and Green Meadows in Denmead (42 beds), are also proposed for permanent closure for financial and service reasons.

These homes are currently providing standard residential care. While the care provided by staff is rated as good by the Care Quality Commission, ‘these environments are outdated,’ the Care Service and Capital Strategy report said. It means these homes can only accommodate people with lower levels of need rather than those with more complex care requirements.

Additionally, Westholme (72 beds) in Winchester and Malmesbury Lawn (32 beds) in Havant could be closed but not before the end of 2026, and relocated to new facilities at Cornerways in Winchester and Oak Park in Havant, respectively. The third new nursing home is earmarked for the New Forest, with a location yet to be determined. Oak Park would initially cater for up to 40 complex residential dementia beds.

Hampshire County Council’s cabinet members agreed to open a formal public consultation on September 4, 2023, to ensure that affected residents, their families and HCC care staff are consulted and engaged with ahead of any decision. The consultation will run for ten weeks, closing on November 12, 2023.