Sunday 14 March 2010
The future of Sue Ryder Care - The Old Palace, Ely
15 July 2009
Sue Ryder Care has today announced that it has taken the decision to commence a consultation on the possible closure of The Old Palace Care Centre, Ely.
Paul Woodward, chief executive said: “This difficult announcement is made for a number of very significant and substantial reasons.
“The Care Quality Commission (CQC), which regulates independent health and social care providers, considers that The Old Palace, Ely is not suitable for use as a Care Centre after September 2010 without major work to bring it into compliance with the standards set by the Commission.
“A number of possibilities for addressing the problems with the building have been investigated, but none have resulted in a suitable alternative and in each case significant cost would be involved. We have also considered the option of building a new care centre but a new build would require substantial capital. The current economic downturn also significantly impacts fundraising efforts in the region and indications are that we would not be able to achieve the level of fundraised income that would be required and this is unlikely to improve.
“The Centre is currently running at a financial deficit of £240,000 per annum which is unsustainable for the Charity. Furthermore, Sue Ryder Care’s analysis of the impact of the potential changes to the funding for the majority of The Old Palace’s residents suggests that new clients with similar levels of need may not in future qualify for continuing healthcare funding. This would be a risk to Sue Ryder Care’s ability to maintain a viable service in the future.
“One of the reasons for the shift in these funding arrangements is the improvements in the range and capability of services available to people in their own communities and own homes. This means that for people to be assessed as being in need of a residential place their personal requirements will need to be substantially more complex than even five years ago.
“A formal consultation period commences with this announcement between Sue Ryder Care, its residents and staff. Throughout this consultation the residents remain our primary focus and I know that the dedicated team will continue to deliver the very highest level of care at The Old Palace.”
For further information contact:
Steve Taylor, Director of Communications
T: 020 7400 0440 M: 07968 904111
