The public consultation will ask for people’s views on 2 proposed options for modernising the service designed to increase support for people with dementia and their carers.
Proposed changes include creating specialist dementia residential care centres alongside day and night respite opportunities to give carers a break.
The 12-week consultation starts on Wednesday 15 May 2024 and is due to end on 7 August 2024.
Our Cabinet approved the consultation on Monday 29 April 2024 after hearing there was a decline in demand for traditional residential care as more people choose to stay at home for as long as they can. Those going into care are often frailer and have more complex needs, requiring more specialist care.
As part of the consultation, face-to-face meetings will be held with care home residents and people who use our day centres, along with their families and carers.
A series of public drop-in sessions are being held at Derbyshire libraries where people can give their views or get help to fill in the questionnaire. These will be held between 10am and midday on the following dates:
- Tuesday 28 May 2024 at Chapel-en-le-Frith Library, Town Hall, Market Square
- Friday 31 May 2024 at Alfreton Library, Severn Square
- Monday 3 June 2024 at Swadlincote Library, Civic Way
- Wednesday 5 June 2024 at Chesterfield Library, New Beetwell Street
- Thursday 6 June 2024 at Long Eaton Library, Tamworth Road
- Friday 7 June 2024 at Eckington Library, Market Street
- Wednesday 12 June 2024 at Ashbourne Library, Compton
- Monday 17 June 2024 at Bolsover Library, Church Street
- Tuesday 18 June 2024 at Ilkeston Library, Market Place
- Wednesday 19 June 2024 at Heanor Library, Ilkeston Road
- Tuesday 2 July 2024 at Buxton Library, Kents Bank Road.
Two online public meetings will take place from 6.30pm to 7.30pm on Wednesday 19 June 2024 and Wednesday 26 June 2024.
An online questionnaire is available and paper copies are available on request. Support can be provided to anyone who needs help to complete it.
Our cabinet member for adult care Councillor Natalie Hoy said:
“I’d like to reassure everyone that no decisions will be made about these proposals until we hear everyone’s views and I’d urge everyone to have their say.
“The consultation is open for 12 weeks and there are lots of ways to take part, including drop-in sessions at libraries and online meetings.”
Councillor Hoy added:
“People tell us they want to remain independent, choosing to stay in their own homes for as long as possible as they get older, which has led to a decline in demand for traditional residential care. This means that those who go into residential care later are frailer and have more complex needs, such as dementia.
“With a growing number of people in Derbyshire living with dementia, we need to focus our resources on having the right options to support them and their carers, which would give us the resources needed to meet demand while ensuring we are sustainable so we can continue to support people who need us most.
“We are also proposing to continue to operate the community support beds which we use to support hospital discharge and jointly operate with health partners. These enable people to return home as soon as possible following hospital admission.”
To request a paper copy of the questionnaire, for help to fill in the survey or to book a place at an online meeting contact our Stakeholder Engagement and Consultation Team tel: 01629 531307 to leave a message and one of the team will call back, or email tell.adultcare@derbyshire.gov.uk