Have your say on the future of a care home located in Towcester

Residents are invited to have their say about possible options regarding Ridgway House Care Home, located in Towcester due to significant under-occupancy experienced over the last few years.

This residential care facility is currently owned and managed by West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) and currently only has 19 residents occupying the home, primarily due to the inadequacy of its design and amenities in meeting the requirements of individuals seeking residential care and support in their later years.

WNC says that while the demand for registered care homes has remained relatively constant over the years, the nature of care required has evolved, with an increasing number of residents needing nursing care as opposed to the residential care that Ridgway House is currently able to provide. Due to the building being old and its design, it is difficult to meet these more complex care needs and falls short of today's accessibility and facility requirements stipulated by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) for new care home constructions.

Councillor Matt Golby, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Public Health at WNC said: “We recognise that for those who reside at Ridgway House that this is their home, is where they feel comfortable and supported. We are committed to ensuring that we deliver a high standard of care for all our residents and as their needs change or become more complex, that we can adapt the support we provide to meet their changing care needs.

“It is important that we can provide the right support for more complex health and social care needs and we know that we are seeing an increase in our older population, that this level of support is only going to increase. There will always be a need for residential care, and the proposed changes aim to ensure that individuals receive this care in modern, adaptable facilities that can meet their evolving needs.

“I therefore ask for residents at Ridgway and their loved ones to please take part in the consultation as it is vital to gain your thoughts on how we can provide the right care support now and in future.”

The Council acknowledges the news of this consultation may cause worry or concerns for the residents at Ridgway and their families, and any potential changes or relocations may understandably be distressing. At this time, this is a consultation to seek the views from residents and their loved ones to enable us to understand the impact of any future decision that is made. However, it is important that as a Council, careful consideration is given to the state and age of the building and to consider all options for the care home.

WNC are also interested to know how residents feel about living at Ridgway House and would like to understand the impact of allowing the current position at Ridgway House to continue or what the impact would be if we commenced with a safe closure programme of the home.

To learn more about the available options and provide your feedback, please visit the Council’s Consultation Hub by November 19, or you can also share your thoughts by emailing [email protected] or through written correspondence using the provided contact details.