Agenda item

 

Councillor Nick Brown joined the meeting virtually at 3.19 pm

 

Joshua Lumb, Head of Intermediate Care, Sandra Mitchell, Service Manager Care Provider Services and Hannah Brown, Commissioning and Provider Services Development Manager provided an update on the residential and nursing homes within the Skipton and Ripon area, as previously requested by the Committee. 

 

Officers noted that there had been some confusion regarding the geography of the Skipton and Ripon Area Committee. As a result, the report focused on Skipton, Ripon and their surrounding areas, rather than covering the full extent of the Area Committee’s geography. Officers agreed to review the report and incorporate any missing information at a later date.

 

The Commissioning and Provider Services Development Manager provided an overview of the report and raised the following key points:

 

·       As outlined in Appendix A, there are 18 care homes in Skipton and the surrounding areas and 10 in the Ripon area. The majority support older people aged 65 and over with 9 care homes supporting working age adults.

·       The care home market is predominantly focused on older people. Provision for working age adults, both residential and nursing, is generally used as a last resort, with a strategic emphasis on more independent living options.

·       Provision is diverse, comprising a mix of smaller local providers and larger regional and national organisations.

·       Just under 50% of placements in the Skipton and Ripon area are wholly or partly funded by NYC and the remainder are NHS funded or self-funded.

·       As of May 2026, 47 vacancies were reported (37 in Skipton and 10 in Ripon). Current gaps include no vacancies for working age adults in Skipton and no nursing home vacancies in Ripon.

·       Demand for care home places is increasing, particularly due to people living longer with dementia and presenting with more complex needs. Work is underway to support provider upskilling.

·       Paragraph 4.1 outlined NYC’s actual cost of care rates. The Council publishes standard care home rates, prioritises commissioning with providers who accept them, and applies a tiered approach for others to ensure best value for money.

·       Overall quality across the area was reported as good, however two care homes in Ripon are currently suspended and subject to intervention, and three homes in Skipton are rated as requiring improvement.

·       Three extra care schemes are operational (one in Ripon and two in Skipton), with a new scheme in Gargrave currently at the procurement stage.

 

The Service Manager for Care Provider Services provided an overview of Ashfield, the NYC owned and operated care home in Skipton. The home has 24 registered beds and offers a range of services, including long term, respite, and intermediate care. Ashfield was rated “Good” by the CQC in both 2021 and 2023. Feedback from individuals using the service was reported to be predominantly very positive, with examples set out in paragraph 7 of the report.

 

Members thanked officers for the report and the below points were raised:

 

·       The Vice-Chair, who had requested the report, highlighted that care homes represent a significant element of the council tax budget and stressed the importance of transparency for residents. A question was raised regarding the consistency of wage policies across care providers, alongside concerns about the cost implications of different delivery models.

·       In response, the Head of Intermediate Care echoed the need for transparency and outlined the wider adult social care budget, including at home care provision, which was not reflected in the report. He also emphasised the strategic focus on expanding in-house provision to improve outcomes, quality, and value for money.

·       The Commissioning and Provider Services Development Manager confirmed an invest-to-save proposal for five new care and support hubs. These would deliver specialist intermediate care and residential dementia care, addressing high costs driven by limited private provision by investing in Council run services to achieve long-term savings.

·       Officers noted that Anley Hall Nursing Home is located in Settle, rather than Skipton as incorrectly stated in the report.

·       A Member queried the reopening of Beanlands Nursing Home. The Commissioning and Provider Services Development Manager agreed to follow this up, and the Executive Member for Managing our Environment clarified that funding approval had been secured and did not come from the second homes scheme.

·       Members noted North Yorkshire’s strong national performance in care home quality ratings.

·       Clarification was sought on the definition of “fully suspended” care homes.

·       Members discussed the frequency and approach to CQC inspections, with officers noting a reduction in inspection frequency. The Commissioning and Provider Services Development Manager explained that the Council’s Health and Adult Services Integrated Quality Team provides an additional layer of quality assurance alongside the CQC.

·       A Member queried future provision of dementia care homes within the Area Committee area.

·       Members sought assurance regarding the monitoring of homes rated as requiring improvement. In response, officers confirmed that ongoing intervention and risk monitoring were in place, with a focus on resident safety.

·       Members welcomed the positive performance of Ashfield care home.

 

 

Resolved

 

That the Committee note the content of the report.