A SERVICE offered at Princess of Wales Community Hospital for families and carers who support people with learning disabilities and complex health needs is set to be closed down.
Churchview, which is delivered by Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust and commissioned Worcestershire County Council, is due to shut in June.
The Standard understands the staff are being redeployed to other areas of the trust.
Churchview has been operating for four years and there are 45 people who use the service across two sites – they have eligible adult social care needs and their care is funded by the county council.
In response, Worcestershire County Council said alternative care would be in place for the summer and the authority was currently working on the transition.
“The alternative provision will ensure that appropriate, high‑quality replacement care continues to be offered to our residents who currently use this service.”
When asked about a consultation on the changes, a spokesperson said: “Where possible, we work with families and service users to keep them up-to-date with what’s happening with their care options.
“The provision of replacement care will match or improve existing care and therefore a formal consultation is not needed.”
Replacement care, also known as respite care or short breaks, is a service commissioned by the county council to complement the range of services available in Worcestershire to adults with social care needs and their families and carers.
The council said it formed part of the options available to meet an individual’s assessed eligible needs under the Care Act 2014.
For a number of residents with those eligible needs, this has recently been provided by Herefordshire and Worcestershire NHS Health and Care Trust.
The authority added the trust recently gave notice on their contract to provide adult replacement care and respite at Churchview, enabling it to focus on its core health and nursing services going forward.
“Following discussions with HWHCT, we have concluded the only option available to the council is to recommission this service, providing ongoing respite care for this group.
“Worcestershire County Council recognises and values the significant support and care that carers provide to vulnerable adults, children, and young people, and we recognise the importance of supporting carers to maintain their own physical and mental health and wellbeing in order to sustain their caring roles alongside having a life of their own through these services.”
The Hereford and Worcestershire Heath and Care NHS Trust said Worcestershire County Council was planning to develop a new adult social care replacement care offer and added the trust was committed to working closely with the council to support our service users and their families during the transition to the new service.
