Victory Unit in Portsmouth to be closed after only six years as city council plans new centre for people leaving hospital

Harry Sotnick House in Cranleigh Avenue
Picture: Malcolm Wells ( 120550-971) — Harry Sotnick House in Cranleigh Avenue Picture: Malcolm Wells ( 120550-971)

Portsmouth City Council’s cabinet will be asked to approve the transfer of staff at the Victory Unit to the 'discharge to assess' facility at Harry Sotnick House in Buckland.

A report said this service was better suited for freeing up hospital beds and helping transition people back into their homes.

The council-run Victory Unit in Wyllie Road was only opened at Housing 21's Maritime House care home in 2015.

The Victory Unit is opened in 2015 by the then Lord Mayor of Portsmouth, Councillor Frank Jonas, pictured with then leader Cllr Donna Jones, and Robert Watt, the director of adult services.
Picture Ian Hargreaves (151491-1) — The Victory Unit is opened in 2015 by the then Lord Mayor of Portsmouth, Councillor Frank Jonas, pictured with then leader Cllr Donna Jones, and Robert Watt, the director of adult services. Picture Ian Hargreaves (151491-1)

But the council's cabinet member for health, councillor Jason Fazackarley, said it was no longer the type of facility needed.

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'Since Victory Unit was built there has been an increasing national and local push for getting people out of hospital as quickly and safely as possible and making sure we have the capacity to meet sudden demand for beds in the event of an emergency,' he said. 'Harry Sotnick has more appropriate facilities for supporting people discharged from hospital.

'We have made a recommendation therefore that staff are permanently moved from Victory Unit to Harry Sotnick house and that Victory Unit is closed for the time being.

'If approved, Victory Unit facilities will continue to be used to support people with care and support needs in Portsmouth.'

The new 30-bed discharge to assess centre will be funded through temporary NHS funding but the report said the council would look to negotiate this on a longer term basis by the end of March.

It will offer 'short stay' care to people discharged from hospital to allow either longer term care to be put in place or for them to return home.

Council data showed that since it opened in April last year, it had saved the equivalent of 217 days' worth of hospital beds.

Half of its patients were also able to return home rather than moving into a care home or being readmitted to hospital. This saved the equivalent of about £170,000 a year.

A final decision on whether to approve the closure of the Victory Unit will be made at next week's cabinet meeting.