As promised, some more information on Holly Bank House.

This is the press release that was sent to the express and star but was not printed.

Holly Bank House Community Rehabilitation Service is funded by Walsall Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) through the Better Care Fund. The service is currently provided by Walsall Council, with aligned Community Healthcare Therapy.

Holly Bank House will close at the end of June 2018. In its place, Walsall CCG will commission a number of short term Nursing Home placements where the Nursing Home will provide the ‘care’ that an individual may require and Community Healthcare Therapists will support their rehabilitation programme.

Health and Social Care services to support people on discharge from hospital in Walsall are being developed. The new model of care will mean that people receive support on discharge from hospital more quickly and in a more cost effective way.

The proposed changes to the rehabilitation service have been in discussion for a number of weeks but have only recently been finalised. Staff affected were consulted at the earliest opportunity, in line with usual staff consultation procedures.

The changes will unfortunately result in some staff redundancies and voluntary redundancy applications have been invited. The Council will support employees through this process to optimise their chance of finding alternative employment for example through access to training to help them to find alternative work. In addition the Council’s confidential counselling service provider can offer free independent advice to employees and their immediate families.

Editors note:
Though we all know that ultimately the blame for this decision rests squarely with Central Government, I know that under pressure from Cllr Ian Shires, Walsall CCG have admitted they handled the implementation of this decision badly.

We can only hope that those forced to pick up the pieces from this decision will be able to forge a better service for people of Walsall.

Content published and promoted by Dan Barker (Liberal Democrats) all at 13 Greaves Close, Walsall, WS5 3QTere