Linelands' Employees Consulted About Redundancy Options

Employees at the Linelands care home, on All Saints Lane, Nettleham have been contacted over the weekend by letter as part of Lincolnshire County Council's ongoing 'Shaping Care' consultation. The consultation directly relates to the five of eight facilities directly managed by the council and  as part of an inclusive approach being taken by the council all employees have been contacted - whih includes the three designated to be retained for the next two years, as alternative provision is developed.

Immediately, local people learning about the situation were very concerned, but conversations with Cllr. Graham Marsh, Conservative (Alford & Sutton on Sea Division), who has executive responsibility for Adult Social Care, made it clear that none of the staff in Nettleham were in any immediate danger of being made redundant.

Linelands is expected to close in the future - in two or three years time frame - for redevelopment, once alternative provision is in place and a new facilities for extra care and sheltered accommodation can be brought forward. The current vision is for a hub providing various different types of community care to a wide range of users.

Mr. Terry Hawkins, interim Aassistant Director for Adult Social Care said:

"The proposal is for no change to our original schedule for five homes to close in September as alternative services are put in place.
"The remaining three homes won't close until further analysis and work in the market is carried out and suitable alternatives are ready. This current consultation is to do with staff changes. We remain committed to high quality care as we move towards personalisation, giving people more choice and control."

Currently the proposal is that five care homes will close by the end of September 2011, including Park View in Lincoln. Further work is being carried out for the three remaining homes, which includes Linelands. No home will close before alternative services are identified. The council says:

"No one will be left without support and we will be helping people to find alternative care that meets their needs. People will see a greater choice available in the independent sector and have more control over how they receive their care.

"This is about making sure that future care for older people meets their needs, is modern and fit for purpose. People told us they wanted to see high quality care that is responsive, modernised, accessible and providing value for money."

Details of the Shaping Care for the 21st Century can be found here.