Empty elderly persons accommodation an increasing problem in York

Oakhaven

The enthusiasm shown by the York Council in moving elderly people out of their homes is being questioned.

Some empty Elderly Persons Homes have yet to be reused

We highlighted the neglected state of Willow House last month. It has been empty for over a year.

..but this pales to insignificance when you consider what has happened at Oakhaven on York Road.

Residents moved out of the building 3 years ago.

In 2015 the Council announced that a new facility would be built there as part of a plan to provide 525 new elderly persons places “before the end of 2018”. Work at Oakhaven was timetabled to be complete with the new facility ready for occupation by May 2018.  We said at the time “Given the Council’s shambolic record on project management, we doubt if we will see any improvements much before the end of the decade”.

More than a year ago the Council said that a new facility would not open until “2019 at the earliest”.

There is still no sign of work starting.

Oakhaven site plans published earlier in the year

In February the Councils preferred operator for a new facility Ashley House – who had been appointed in March 2017 – consulted on a proposed design but nothing more was heard about the plans.

No redevelopment timetable has been published by the Council and an update report doesn’t even figure in the Councils forward plan which cover the period up to the end of March. There will be an item on the November Executive agenda but this refers only to Lincoln Court and Glen Lodge

There has been  some short term use of the buildings to house potentially homeless people but these are now well catered for by a  new building at James Street

In the meantime, the delays will mean more pressure on hospital beds as managers struggle during the winter period to find suitable accommodation into which recovering older people can be transferred.

Delays in building Oakhaven care home replacement.

The Council are saying that the opening of the replacement for the Oakhaven care home on York Road will be delayed until the end of 2019 “at the earliest”.

The existing home was closed in 2015 and most recently was used as a homeless hostel.

Bed availability trends

A Council report reveals that there will still be a shortfall in residential care places for the elderly of 654 by 2020. This is slightly down on the inherited shortfall of 701.

“Extra Care” facilities – like those planned for Oakhaven – should reduce the excess of demand over supply from 330 to 9 by 2020.

The number of care beds available has remained fairly level over recent years while the number of delayed discharges from hospital (so called “bed blocking”) remains high as the winter approaches.

The report blames the Councils “partner” for the delays at Oakhaven.

“The delivery of this scheme is running later than originally planned as this procurement was launched later than anticipated due to lengthier examination of the procurement and legal options associated with the plan.

Further delays have occurred as Ashley House develop their design.

At present, we would expect completion of the building, subject to grant of planning permission, in Q3 2019 at the earliest”.

On the Lowfields Plans the report says,

“Plans for the development of a care home, health hub, homes (including bungalows and apartments for the over 55s) and public open space at Lowfield Green, in their final draft form, were the subject of further public engagement in July.

Engagement has shown support for the proposed development.

Lowfields school site is overgrown

However, there is strong objection to the development from the Save Lowfields Playing Field Action Group.

We will be ready to submit the planning application for this proposed development in September 2017.

Later in the autumn Executive will be asked to decide if we are to build the new homes ourselves or sell the land so that another developer can do so”.

NB. Opposition to the development at Lowfields centres around the houses planned for the playing field. The elderly persons accommodation proposals enjoy broad support as they are to be built on the “footprint” of the old school buildings.

Bed blocking – Care Quality Commission to probe failings in York

The probe comes in the wake of figures that reveal that the total number of days that patients have were delayed during the year to May 2017 was 10,436.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is reviewing the York health and social care system and delayed transfers of care.

In a report to be considered later this week, the York Council says, “The review will highlight what is working well and where there are opportunities for improving how the system works”

This equates to, on average, 28.6 beds each day being occupied because of delayed discharges, although, during the most recent three-month period, this figure was 24.5.

A delayed transfer of care occurs when a hospital patient is deemed medically fit to be discharged, but cannot be released from hospital because they are awaiting a package of care from either the NHS and/or a local authority

There continues to be a downward trend in the number of days that patients are delayed leaving hospital that are attributable to adult social care.

In 2016/17, on average, patients were delayed for 3.73 days in hospital due to adult social care services.

The Better Care Fund provided the Council and hospitals with finances to work together on a range of measures, including delayed transfer of care, aimed at improving outcomes for NHS and adult social care users in the City of York area.

Beds blocked at York hospital   

There is a continuing problem with delayed discharges at hospital in York. The latest figures suggest that the problem is currently worse in York than elsewhere in the region (and nationally).

Delayed discharges in York

A report to a York Council committee meeting next week makes the following comments on the delayed transfer of care;

“This measures the impact of hospital services and community-based care in facilitating timely and appropriate transfer from all hospitals for all adults. This indicates the ability of the whole system to ensure appropriate transfer from hospital for the entire adult population. It is an important marker of the effective joint working of local partners, and is a measure of the effectiveness of the interface between health and social care services.

Discharges are made from Acute and Non Acute Care Pathways.

Discharges from Acute Care Indicators are on Target. Performance has shown a steady improvement over the end of 2015-16 and into the first half of this year”.

However, “discharges from Non Acute Care: Indicators here are not on Target. Performance had shown an improvement in the first quarter, however, from June 2016, an increase in Non Acute Delays, particularly in Mental Health has pushed the numbers back up and off target for the year”.

“The overall indicator is not on target due to the effect of Non Acute Delays in the System. We are taking the learning and processes from our success in Acute Care and applying these to the Non Acute pathway. Since June a Sitrep process has been put in place to monitor delays in Mental Health to mirror that of our Acute and Non Acute Hospital processes. In other areas of the Non-Acute pathway a similar approach to monitoring”.

The effect that “bed blocking” is having on in delaying the admission of new patients requiring hospital services in not stated in the report.

York Council Leadership promises action on bed blocking.

Bed blocking

NHS England list York as one of the worst communities for speedy hospital discharges

NHS England have today published data click here  showing that in October 2013, the City was one of the worst communities in England for delayed transfer of care.

Of the 28 patients awaiting a move from York hospitals at the end of October, 11 were awaiting care or nursing home placements while 7 were waiting for a care in the community support package.

Both are the responsibility of the York Council to provide

Although the Council Leadership is now promising to fix the problem “within 6 months”, they have failed to explain why the developing crisis has not been mentioned in any of the reports published by members of the Labour Cabinet over the last 6 months.

The Leaders own report, being considered by the Council tomorrow (Thursday), makes no mention of the problems.
—————–

Separately, a resident has submitted a Freedom of Information request seeking an explanation for the apparent attempt to cover up the delayed discharges scandal. The wording of the request can be read by clicking here.

Hospital “bed blocking” on increase in York

Bed blocking

The number of delayed discharges from hospital is increasing as the York Council struggles to provide care in the community places.

The delays mean that the Council has to pay substantial “fines” and in turn the “blockage” can prevent new patients being admitted to NHS beds.

The delays have reached record levels as the weekly average figures (for patients awaiting discharge to community placements) for the last few years reveal.

  • 2009/10 – 7.98
  • 2010/11 – 10.13
  • 2011/12 – 8.69
  • 2012/13 – 10.67
  • 2013/14 – 11.00 (to September)

The figures were reported to both the York Council’s “Cabinet” on 5th November and its Health Scrutiny Committee on 27th November

Neither minuted any action which they planned take to address the growing crisis.

Some of the delays are being put down to inadequate capacity in the “reablement” unit. This team seeks to train former patients to be more self-reliant.

It is the winter period when demand for NHS beds is at its highest.

The last thing that the City needs is for those that are available to be blocked by people who could, with support, be accommodated in their own homes.