Raising the impact of care home and day-centre closures with the Prime Minister

Last week I used my first opportunity to ask a question of Keir Starmer at Prime Minister’s Questions to raise the plight of a dementia patient facing the potential closure of a day centre in New Mills by Tory run Derbyshire County Council.

The Jubilee Centre is one of 11 care homes and 8 day centres across our county that could be closed if the Conservative council’s proposed cuts go through.

Supporting people with dementia and their families is personal to me. My own father suffered from Alzheimer’s and my mother was his main carer. So, I know firsthand what an amazing job so many family carers are doing day-in day-out.

My constituent, Pat Bailey, was diagnosed with dementia in 2016 and the Jubilee Centre is a lifeline for her and her family. Her husband, David, is her main carer and the Centre provides a vital respite for him. “I have time for myself for a few hours without having to worry about Pat being OK. It is hard to estimate the cost in monetary terms but without the support of the centre, I don’t think I’d have coped.”

The Prime Minister expressed his shock at the impact of these proposed cutbacks and pledged to provide councils with more stability and certainty through multi-year funding settlements after years of cuts to council budgets by the previous Conservative government.

Sadly, Pat’s story is not unique. Whitestones Care Home in Chapel-en-le-Frith is also earmarked for closure. 95-year-old Willina Richardson and her family have been left devastated by the situation. Willina is a dementia patient and registered blind. She was previously a resident of Goyt Valley House in New Mills before it was also closed by the Conservative County Council. Now she is facing another move, and her family are worried about the impact it will have on her health.

This attack on adult social care by the council is so short sighted. At a time when we need more and better social care the Conservatives are cutting it. Their proposals are causing great stress to patients, carers, and their families. I urge each of the Conservative Councillors, especially those representing wards in High Peak, to think again on these devastating cuts for older people and their families. I will keep campaigning and do everything I can to make them see sense.