Concern over falling number of nursing beds in Wakefield after closure of Lupset home

A paper on adult and social care in the district said that beds in the nursing sector were at "more of a premium" than spaces in residential old people's homes.

Nursing homes offer more specific and specialist round-the-clock treatment to patients than care homes, where many of the residents have degenerative conditions or issues linked to old age.

Because of the nature of the treatment, nursing homes are generally more expensive.

Wakefield Council said it still had enough beds in the nursing sector for those who need them.

But a report going before the council's audit committee next week said that the recent closure of a Lupset nursing home, Snapethorpe Hall, meant there were now even fewer beds available.

The report, referencing the recent closure of The Glynn care home in Wrenthorpe, said: "We have successfully found other homes for all residents and the loss of this provision is not a concern as we are not short of residential homes in Wakefield.

"One of our nursing homes deregistered during this year which is more of a concern as nursing beds are at more of a premium. We are working with CCG (NHS) colleagues to address this risk."

The council said that the four people who'd been living at Snapethorpe Hall had been moved elsewhere.

Nichola Esmond, the council's service director for older people and physical disabilities, said: "Our priority is to ensure the needs of vulnerable and elderly residents in our district are met.

"Although there are fewer nursing beds than residential beds in Wakefield, we still have sufficient capacity to meet people’s needs in our district."

Local Democracy Reporting Service