£6.6 million for Lancashire care homes

Lancashire County Council is investing more than £6 million to improve its residential care homes for older people.

The funding will see improvements to all 17 county council-run homes.

The scheme will help modernise the buildings, improve safety systems, install new facilities and redecorate the homes to ensure they provide a better environment for people with conditions such as dementia.

The investment is made up of £1.7 million which had previously been earmarked for care home improvements, plus an additional £4.9 million from the capital budget.

Surveys have been carried out at each care home to prioritise areas for improvement. These include internal decoration, floor coverings, kitchen units, updating fire protection measures and upgrading lighting.

The improvements will be carried out over the next two years.

Graham Gooch, cabinet member for adult services, said: “Our care homes provide vital support for over 750 people across Lancashire. They have a great reputation with residents and their families and most are rated as good by the Care Quality Commission.

"They are used day in, day out, so there's a lot of wear and tear on buildings, decoration and facilities. These aren't just buildings, they're people's homes and we've got to keep them maintained to a high standard so they're comfortable and meet modern standards.

“The improvements will help to ensure we continue to fulfil standards set out by the CQC and offer good facilities in line with market expectations in the care sector.

"We've carried out research and are ensuring the improvements make the buildings as easy and safe to use as possible for people with dementia and other complex conditions.

"This scheme is a key part of our plans to provide even better care for older people across the county."