Dolphin Manor Trust pulls out of talks to provide care for Rothwell older people

The Dolphin Manor Trust has pulled out of long standing talks with Leeds City Council to run a new care facility.

Me and my ward colleague Cllr David Nagle are surprised and saddened by the sudden decision by the Dolphin Manor Trust to abandon talks with Leeds City Council to help provide the best housing and care solution for older people in Rothwell, Woodlesford, Oulton and Carlton.

The best outcome for local people will be achieved working with local people, it’s a shame this won’t be with the involvement of the Dolphin Manor Trust but that is their decision and we have to respect that. The Dolphin Manor Trust had decided to get the Sandwell Trust on board (from the Midlands) and complex negotiations ensued between the three parties over a long period of time. Unfortunately the local Liberal Democrats seem to be in a time warp and opposed to the new ideas that could really increase the quality of life for our older people in the future.

Time moves on though, and although when the Dolphin Manor Trust talks started, a new traditional type of care home to replace Dolphin Manor seemed to be the best way forward, the world of social care and housing has moved on, and when new ideas could give local people a better quality of life in their later years, then that has to be our top priority as elected representatives of those local folk.

We’re disappointed that our hopes of the council, Dolphin Manor Trust and Sandwell working together have been dashed, but we’re more determined than ever that Rothwell, Woodlesford, Oulton and Carlton folk still get the best possible deal and choice for those later years. People are living longer and need support for longer. I feel passionate about making local people’s later years as comfortable and homely as possible, with a bit of their own space even when they come to need care and support.

I’m confident that providing extra care housing in Rothwell is the right thing to do, where some of the residents would perhaps have gone into a care home, will have this innovative new option open to them. They will get all the best possible care as they would in a care home, but will also have the type of accommodation they deserve. Instead of just a bedroom in a care home, they would have their own front door, a kitchenette, a living room, a bedroom, storage etc. It could include a café and or/restaurant, hairdressers etc and best of all a community hub so no-one needs to be isolated wherever they happen to live. The ideal site would be the large site on Holmsley Lane, where buildings are currently being demolished, which is council owned.

There is Oulton Manor, the new care home near to Rothwell Leisure Centre soon to open with 80+ beds, and there are plans for the extra care facility and for a new separate nursing home, which is likely to be built on the site of either Home Lea or Dolphin Manor, this would provide the widest range of care facilities in the Rothwell area.

If only extra care had been available when I was looking at care homes for my dad some years ago, it would have been a great choice. I know which option I would prefer if I ever needed such care in my later years.

Our vision is to work with local people to create something very exciting and tailored to Rothwell’s needs. With the right planning this could be a social hub for local people, where those living in extra care and those living in their own homes, who might otherwise be isolated, could mingle together. Leeds City Council also are planning for a much needed nursing home in Rothwell for those in the most need of support.

The photos are of an extra care apartment in the extra care centre which was currently empty and about to be refurbished for a new resident, but this just gives us an idea of what we could acheive with our extra care in Rothwell.

We will update through my blog and the Rothwell News Facebook page as things progress.