Planning permission for the development of a new facility for older people is being sought by the Department of Health and Social Care. The unit would offer day services as well as a 60 bed residential care home. The building would be located on the corner of Victoria and Glencrutchery roads in Douglas – the site of the former Glenside Resource Centre.
Provisionally called Summer Hill View, the new unit is intended as a replacement for two existing Douglas care facilities: the Reayrt ny Baie Resource Centre at Albert Terrace and the Sweetbriar Dementia Care Unit in Thie Meanagh at Farmhill.
Reayrt ny Baie Resource Centre was opened in 1992 as a replacement for the Albert Terrace Residential Home. It does not meet current regulatory standards and is now no longer fit for purpose due to room size and bathroom provision, currently six shared between 45 residents. In addition, the day service provided at Reayrt ny Baie in the former dining room is based in an inappropriate environment. The proposed Summer Hill View facility would meet current standards under the Regulation of Care Act 2013.
Fundamental to this development is the need to ensure that services are delivered in buildings that are both fit for purpose and compliant with the standards laid out in the Regulation of Care Act. The new building will also be specifically designed to provide flexibility so that it can continue to meet the needs of older people, and the community, well into the foreseeable future. For example all facilities will be built to a standard to provide care for patients with dementia, as the need increases.
Minister for Health and Social Care, Kate Beecroft MHK said: “This project is a significant and important investment by Government in a vital facility. It will ensure that we have buildings that are fit for purpose, which our older generations deserve, both now and into the future. Delivering carefully and sympathetically designed buildings such as this does make a significant difference to the quality of life for residents, and day service clients, whilst also ensuring our care and support teams are able to deliver care in an environment that has been designed around the changing needs of older people.
“Our facilities provide a service to some of the most vulnerable members of our community and therefore it is vital that we invest in modern buildings.”
The design fees for the new facility have previously been approved by Tynwald. Subject to planning permission being granted, approval for funding to build Summer Hill View will be sought from Tynwald later this year.
