Grisedale Croft Care Home, Alston - consultation feedback report

Healthwatch Westmorland and Furness undertook research on the future of Grisedale Croft Care Home in Alston. They spoke to 40 people, including residents, relatives, staff, former service users and community members, as part of a consultation on proposals for the home's future. 

The strongest message from participants was that local care provision is essential to the future of Alston Moor and should be retained within the community. Most people supported refurbishing, rebuilding or redeveloping the home rather than reducing local provision, and many expressed concern that any replacement service should provide sufficient capacity to meet future demand. Participants highlighted the importance of keeping care close to family, friends and local support networks, particularly given the area's rural isolation. 

Many participants felt there was insufficient information about the council's preferred option and questioned whether the consultation process was genuinely open to influence. Concerns were raised about a perceived lack of transparency, uncertainty about the location and size of any replacement facility, possible under-use of existing beds, and the need for better integration between health and social care services. There were also concerns about the cumulative impact of losing local services and the effect this could have on the long-term sustainability of the community. 

Healthwatch Westmorland and Furness concluded that future care provision should remain in Alston Moor, meet current and future demand, support people to stay close to their communities and be developed in partnership with local residents. They recommended greater transparency about future plans, clearer evidence of how consultation feedback has influenced decision-making, publication of information on occupancy and service use, closer integration between health and social care, protection of community assets such as the Community Garden, and a robust assessment of future local care needs.