Care Home Saves Lives During Pandemic
New Care, a development-led care home operator, is saving lives during the Coronavirus pandemic.
In light of the current healthcare crisis and the unimaginable and ever increasing demand on the NHS, New Care is providing vital care home beds, reducing the number of patients bed blocking in the NHS.
The company recently completed build on a state-of-the-art care facility in Bramhall (Cheshire), which was immediately commissioned in its entirety by the Council and NHS in Stockport, to free up beds at Stepping Hill Hospital.
The purpose-built care facility, known as Bramhall Manor, has 71 fully furnished bedrooms with en suite facilities, stylish communal lounges, dining rooms, libraries and extensive gardens.
Stepping Hill Hospital has already started to transfer patients who are well enough to be discharged from hospital but need rehabilitation and further assessment to identify their ongoing care needs before returning home.
Cath Fairhurst, Chief Operating Officer at New Care, comments: “COVID-19 has put massive immediate pressure on the NHS, however the current situation has also highlighted the ongoing huge shortfall of beds in hospitals, many of which are in use by stable patients who have been medically discharged but require rehabilitation before returning home. There is quite simply nowhere for these patients to go, so they remain in hospital blocking beds.
“As a registered nurse and in all my years of experience working in the health sector, we are navigating our way through unprecedented times. A fresh approach to the provision of care facilities and beds is needed now more than ever before.
“Bramhall Manor will now be used to free up hospital beds at Stepping Hill Hospital by providing a care pathway for medically stabilised patients, who would otherwise stay in hospital for prolonged periods.
“The contract with the NHS will not only assist with the current crisis, but when Coronavirus is under control there will undoubtedly be a need for more care home beds to deal with the longer-term implications of the more vulnerable patients.”
New Care currently has a number of proposed care homes in for planning across the UK and is well underway with construction with several more. The company is keen to deliver the much needed care beds, not only to cater for the needs of the most vulnerable in society, but also to provide allocated beds to the NHS to use to ease pressure within local hospitals.
In Wilmslow (Cheshire) New Care has submitted a previously ‘refused’ planning application for a 60 bed care facility. The application was refused planning permission in January 2020 despite having a strong recommendation for approval by Cheshire East Planning Authority. The application is also in the appeal system, however New Care is now asking the Council to reconsider and to grant consent at the earliest possible opportunity rather than waiting months for the appeal process to run its course so that this additional care facility can be delivered.
Local MP Esther McVey previously objected to this care facility. New Care is now urging Esther to visit Bramhall Manor and to support its planning application for Wilmslow, not only on a local level but also due to national need in light of the pandemic. They contacted her to see if she intended to support the application, but her office wasn’t available for a comment.
