PLANS to close a long-standing care home in Amesbury have sparked anger and concern among families, residents and the wider community.
Wiltshire Council has confirmed that Buckland Court is among three care homes set to close by the end of June as part of a wider overhaul of elderly care provision across the county.
The homes are operated by The Orders of St John Care Trust (OSJCT), which is working with the council to manage the closures and support residents through the transition.
The council says the move is part of a long-term strategy to invest in “modern fit for purpose care home provision”, with the buildings – all more than 50 years old – no longer suited to increasingly complex care needs.
Cabinet member for adult social care Cllr Gordon King said: “We take our responsibility to provide appropriate care and support extremely seriously. The wellbeing of our residents is our priority, and we recognise this news may be difficult for some people.
“That is why we are committed to working closely with OSJCT, residents and their families to ensure everyone is kept informed and supported throughout.
“We will consider the best options for each resident, keep disruption to a minimum and make moves as smooth as possible. We will work at a pace that reflects each person’s individual circumstances.
“Our long-term vision is to invest in care provision that reflects the changing needs of our population. We know more people are living with complex conditions, including dementia, and we must ensure our facilities are equipped to provide the right level of care.”
OSJCT divisional director for the Wiltshire region Matthew Jones added: “We understand this will be an unsettling time.
“We want to reassure every resident, family member and colleague that they will be fully supported throughout the transition period. We will continue to work closely with Wiltshire Council to ensure people’s care, safety and wellbeing remain our highest priority.”
(Picture: OSJCT)
However, the announcement has prompted a strong backlash online, with families raising concerns about the speed of the closure and the impact on vulnerable residents.
One relative, Raya Maria Bhaya, said: “In shock at how this can even happen… the impact this will have will be massive.”
Another family member said: “Today I had to tell her that the home was closing, she held my hand and said what will happen to me… 10 weeks’ notice for this closure is a joke.”
Others questioned the reasoning behind the decision, with one comment stating: “It is clearly a financial decision from Wiltshire Council… The residents are happy and settled and the staff are amazing.”
Wiltshire Council member for Amesbury and current mayor, Cllr Dr Monica Devendran, has also stepped in, raising concerns with the council and seeking clarity on the decision and its impact. She said she had been assured residents and families would be supported through the process but would “continue to monitor the situation closely”.
Wiltshire Council says care will continue as normal for now, with individual plans being developed for each resident ahead of the proposed closure date of June 30.
Is this part of some wider plan for Amesbury and future development? Buckland Court sits next to the now empty and redundant police station
Buckland Court,Amesbury, my mother in law is a resident there since November 25, we were contacted on Tuesday 14th asking us to attend a meeting on Wednesday 15th at 2pm, we were told that the home was closing on the 30th June (10weeks!!!!) as you can imagine it was quite a shock and created a lot of anxiety around the room, basically the meeting was to tell us all about the closure, no consultation no structure to the meeting and no one was minuting the meeting, so obviously the closure is the final decision!!!
This is very unexceptionable as a lot of the residents have dementia and uprooting them is not going to be easy (my mother in law being in that bracket)
Adding to that the staff have 10 weeks to find a job, the human element has been taken away from this and I believe Wiltshire council should be honest with us
My Dad has
Lived at Buckland court his home for 4 years. He is in the later stages of vascular dementia he is settled there well looked after and this move is going to effect him, we may end up
loosing even more of him and the confusion this will going to create for him too.
Not to mention stress of this situation and how it’s effecting us as a family, my mother who is 80 this year and doesn’t drive is worried where the council are going to place my father as after a telephone conversation with Wiltshire adult social care the impression we have is we don’t get to choose.
After the meeting last week my mother and I went to a osj home in Salisbury where my dad knows some of the carers and they I know him the room was very similar to what he has now the daily routine is the same. I explained the situation and was told my dad can have the room no 5 .
I did explain this to the social worker from Wiltshire council but I have to wait for dad to be assessed again so a home can be matched to his needs. In the mean time the weeks go on and we are left in limbo as to where my dad will even end up let alone how mum is going to visit, will it be two buses and how far will she have to walk.
I know my dad and what he needs are and the home we had would have been a change that we could have made work. However we no longer have that room.
Buckland court is going to be a loss to the community the team have been amazing over the years and it’s been home from home for my dad this is so sad.