We are respite care staff working at Curzon House (Chester), Sutton Beeches (Ellesmere Port) and Leftwich Green (Northwich).
Cheshire West and Chester Council (CWAC) has proposed to close all three respite care centres, which would be a disaster for our service users, for the local community and for ourselves as care workers.
The threat of closure of these three vital community services has created a lot of uncertainty for the service users with regards to their personal care needs. The service offers a person-centred approach with the service user at the forefront- ensuring their individual needs are met. We have highly trained staff with good skills and knowledge base to meet the service users individual needs in accordance with their care plan and risk assessment. It will have a detrimental affect on the community we provide care for if we are forced to shut the doors of this vital service.
As staff, we are worried about the financial implications that losing our jobs will have on ourselves, our families, our mental health and wellbeing. We are scared that losing our jobs will plunge us into poverty- this feels like a kick in the teeth after all the stress and pressure we have been under during the pandemic. We feel like forgotten heroes on the front-line, it feels like no-one cares about us.
One respite care worker said: "Sutton Beeches is all I’ve ever known since I was a teenager. Everyone there are like my family and it would be a huge void in my life if the centre was to close. I would hate to have to look for another job now as I am close to retirement age. This is the only job l have ever liked- it would be very depressing for me."
One service user said: "The reason I wouldn’t like the centre to close is because as a 60 year old disabled woman, I live locally with my husband who looks after me. He is also 60 years old and the thought of the centre closing makes me shudder to think my husband couldn’t have a break from looking after me if he couldn’t cope."
Justin Madders, MP for Ellesmere Port & Neston said: “I do not want to see Sutton Beeches closed and believe that the Council should look again at ways to keep this much loved facility open.”
Mike Amesbury, MP for Weaver Vale said: “Any proposed permanent closure of facilities in my constituency concerns me. I will be listening to service users, local residents and staff, putting their interests first. Just last week in Parliament I raised the urgent need to tackle our social care crisis; the Government has yet to come up with a plan some 11 years since they came to power."
We are calling for CWAC to undertake a full review of local respite care provision which should be subject to a full public consultation. The views of service users, local people and health workers must be heard.
There is so much that the three care centres can offer the community going forward and the last thing service users need is to be displaced. Please show your support and sign this petition to keep the respite care centres open.
Thank you on behalf of the service users and staff. #RescueRespiteCare
