Medway Council plans to build a care home. It will offer a gold standard facility and boost local care options.
Teresa Murray said the plans were serious, expressing her desire for improved care bed availability in Medway. The project should also create jobs locally, aiming to keep residents closer to their families, as people were sometimes placed far from loved ones.
Murray stated residents will get care near home, and the project will boost the local economy and create health and social care jobs. She wants a gold standard facility in Medway, suggesting profits could improve council services in time. Formal construction plans should be ready by year-end.
Murray mentioned others show interest in this project, which needs careful planning. The project will benefit the local economy and should greatly help those needing care. She really wants this project to happen and expects plans soon, with construction next year.
The care home could have 80 beds total, with some for residential and nursing, and others offering care for specific needs. Dementia care could be one of those needs, and the project’s construction cost is £12.2 million total.
The council will borrow the money for construction, repaying it over 30 years at a cost of £26.4 million. This includes interest on the loan, and running the care home costs about £5.6 million each year. Staffing would cost about £3 million yearly.
Other options were considered by the cabinet, including repurposing a council building and buying land specifically for a new build. Building on existing council land seemed best, though no specific site is selected yet.
Simon Curry said this scheme provides an opportunity, as he sees chances for regeneration and addressing climate concerns. New assisted living tech, which tracks leaks or even if someone falls, is very exciting.
Curry detailed how technology fits within budget, and they could easily build a carbon-zero facility. As of April 2024, Medway had 1,685 care beds, and many residents are currently placed outside the area. Cabinet members supported this project’s next step, resolving to analyze the possibilities in detail.