Hopes for drop in number of Hartlepool adults sent out-of-town for care

As of the end of June this year there were 113 out of borough adult care home placements, a slight increase on the 106 recorded two years prior.

However Hartlepool Borough Council chiefs noted this comes following a peak of 119 in March, which coincided with the closure of Gretton Court nursing home.

But a new care home, Merlin Manor, has since opened in July 2022, which will have capacity to support 90 older people, and “about 20” have moved in.

Council chiefs, speaking at the latest meeting of the adult and community based services committee, said a “managed approach” is in place to bring in new residents to the home, with a maximum of three each week – meaning they “do expect to see those numbers come down” for out-of-borough placements.

However they stressed in the “vast majority” of instances it is a “personal choice” to be placed outside the town for care to be closer to family.

Councillor Sue Little, vice chair, praised officers for the work in improving the number of care beds in the town in recent years.

She said: “That’s a question I always asked, how many care beds have we got? I’ve been coming to adult and community services for 10/12 years.

“It’s greatly improved, our residents have a choice, they didn’t have a choice years ago, there was a bed and that was it.

“I take my hat off to the team for changing this around. It’s vastly improved.”

She also praised care assistants for doing “one of the most hard, rewarding jobs you’ll ever do”.