‘Age Well’, the name of this multi-million pound PFI project, has already received planning permission for each of its chosen sites, in Hastings, Ringmer, Uckfield and Westfield. Now, by inviting bids from across Europe, East Sussex County Council hopes to find a partner capable of designing, constructing and managing the buildings over the next 25 years.
At the heart of the £39m project is the desire to create specialist residential services – centres of excellence – for those older people who can no longer live on their own. For example, depending on the individual’s needs this might include intensive nursing or respite care. The design of each home will therefore have to take into account the changing needs of its residents, in order to be sustainable in the long-term.
Each home will also need to promote social inclusion, bringing in the local community and helping residents to feel part of the wider society where they live. Design proposals for the four homes will be shown to nearby residents and stakeholders as part of this process, to ensure the finished buildings enhance the local area. All comments will be warmly received, and used to inform the council’s final decision.
Councillor Bill Bentley, who champions the rights of older people within the county, stated:
“With the search for a contractor underway, Age Well is no longer just a good idea – it’s fast becoming reality. These new homes will be hugely beneficial for East Sussex, offering an expanded range of specialist services to those with complex care needs.”
The four Age Well homes will each take 44–48 residents, with the Westfield and Hastings sites also offering day services to local people. Once a contractor has been chosen, building of the homes will follow a phased schedule. Work will start in 2010, with all four sites finished and ready to open between 2011 and 2012."
Notes to editors
Although modern social care focuses heavily on supporting people to live independently in their own homes, the health of an individual does not always allow this. Age Well therefore aims to offer the very best in residential services – especially catering for people with complex and intensive needs, whom private-sector homes would be less likely to accept.
Age Well Schedule
A Prior Information Notice (PIN) was issued on 31 July 2007.
- The invitation to tender is due for publication after 25 February 2008, in the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU).
- Contractors now have until 7 April to express interest in the Project.
- Short-listing will then take place, and a final decision to appoint a contractor is expected to be made by September 2009.
- For more information see our pages about the Age Well Project: new care homes for older people.
Reference:
1837
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