Day care plea to Parish Council

Two members of the Audlem Medical Practice Patient Group spoke at the open forum before Monday's Parish Council meeting urging the council to ensure that the Tuesday day care facility at Thornton House continues in Audlem after Age Concern end their support.

It was revealed that Age Concen plan to withdraw from its involvement on 24th August. It was therefore vital that the Parish Council acted now to ensure the service continues, albeit under new supervision.

An average of fifteen elderly local residents use the Day Care on Tuesdays each week. They pay for this, often using funds that have been provided via Cheshire East Social Services.

It was argued that there should be no financial risk if the Parish Council, working with the many local volunteers who provide the current service and possibly the local churches, took over responsibility and supervision from Age Concern.

Indeed, with Age Concern taking a significant share of the current income to pay towards its HQ salaries, there should be sufficient income to continue or even improve the current day care facilities.

It was also argued that a meeting should be held with Cheshire East council as they are the local authority funders of Age Concern. Moving to a locally run service would need to involve the redirection of finances from Age Concern to the local supervisors or could be channelled via the personal budgets of the Day Care users.

The Parish Council discussed the issue and agreed to organise a public meeting and formed a working group. led by Cllr Mike Hill, to investigate the way forward. This group would include a representative of the Audlem Patient Panel, Roger Millns, who is experienced in social care and would explore the way forward with the day care users and local carers; local volunteers; Cheshire East and other groups with an interest in a continued day care facility at Thornton House.

The Patient Panel will also be considering this issue at its meeting at the Medical Practice this evening.

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