‘We’re not going down without a fight’ says High Peak day care centre under threat of closure

Cash-strapped Derbyshire County Council has been looking at ways to cut costs and some of these controversial measures include closing eight authority-run care homes and five dementia day centres; Queens Court, Buxton and the Jubilee Centre, New Mills.

However, Donna Elwis, clinical support worker for Queen's Court Day Services, thinks this is a terrible idea.

She said: “I am angry we are talking about closing - not for the staff we will find work again but for the clients who will never recover from this.

“This idea of closure had been made by people who get paid the big bucks and sit behind a desk and have no real clue of how the world works and how devastating this will be to so many people.”

Queen’s Court on Queen’s Road, Fairfield is jointly staffed and funded by both Derbyshire Community Health Services NHS and Derbyshire County Council.

It is open five days a week and provides social and memory-based activities to enhance well-being and independence.

Other medical services are available to day care users on site including nail care, nursing, occupational therapy, health checks and venepuncture.

Donna said: “For some people who have dementia their partners are still working so they come to us so the partner can work.

“For others, sending someone to Queen’s Court, even just for one day a week, gives the carers a chance to be their own person, get their hair cut, go to the doctors or just drink a coffee in peace.

“It’s great Eccles Fold is being kept open but that won’t support the whole High Peak. We are too rural and too spread out and people won’t be able to make those journeys.”

Donna says until the centre closes in July next year it is business as usual for the clients and the 15 staff members.

She added: “We’re not going down without a fight, too much is at stake - we absolutely can’t let this happen, it will be devastating.”

A spokesperson for Derbyshire County Council said: “Ensuring we have the right support for those who need us most is a priority for the county council and by redesigning our services we can create a sustainable service to meet the needs of our residents.

“Research shows people want to remain in their homes for as long as possible which has led to a decline in demand for traditional residential care.

“There’s also more people living with dementia, often supported by family carers or friends.

"Carers have told us they need consistent and regular support and by focusing our in-house services to create wraparound care for the growing number of people with dementia and their carers, including long-term specialist dementia care coupled with respite day and night breaks, we can help even more Derbyshire residents live the life they want.

“Cabinet also agreed to consult on options to create settings focusing on jointly delivering a range of services with partners in health to support timely discharge from hospital, preventing unplanned hospital admissions and support better flow through system.”

The future of Thomas Fields in Buxton and also Whitestones in Chapel is still undecided and DCC says a further consultation is take place.