PR 2015

ANDOVER'S WILLOW COURT NURSING HOME SOON TO OPEN

Finishing touches are being put to Hampshire County Council's latest new nursing home, Willow Court in Andover, ahead of its doors being opened to residents early next month.

The 66 bed home in Charlton Road, Andover, on the Andover War Memorial Hospital campus, is the third of ten homes to be opened in partnership by the County Council and the NHS to provide 500 nursing home beds across the county. Costing £5.25 million, the state-of-the-art home will offer a range of care to meet the needs of those who have both general nursing needs and those with dementia and/or physical frailty.

The nursing homes are the first in the country to be built by a local authority, and the County Council is also the first to directly employ nurses in social care. The management of Willow Court will be in the experienced hands of Mary Critcher, formerly hospital manager at Andover War Memorial Hospital.

A preview of the state-of-the-art home will be given to county councillors, NHS partners, and County Council staff involved with the project on Friday 20 May ahead of the first residents moving in to the home in early June.

The two storey home provides 66 bedrooms with en suite facilities, an occupational therapy room, medical room, visitor room, staff offices, and laundry. To create a more homely environment, bedrooms are arranged in groups of ten, with each wing having its own lounge dining room and assisted bathroom. The hospital kitchen will provide meals for the nursing home residents.

The latest research has been incorporated into the interior design of the home to ensure the needs of residents are met, including the specialist needs of those with dementia. A homely and welcoming environment has also been created with comfortable furniture, fireplaces and pictures of local scenes by local artists.

Technology is also playing a key role in the homes with residents to be offered a wrist worn monitor which measures body temperature, periods of activity and sleep, as well as being used to call staff or for use in emergencies. An IT based medication and record keeping system will also be used in the home.

Hampshire County Council Leader Cllr Ken Thornber said: "I am pleased to see the doors about to open at Willow Court, and I look forward to residents moving into the home as soon as possible. We have striven to provide a warm and welcoming home and I know in the capable hands of our staff, residents will be offered the very best in nursing care as well as benefitting from the latest technology to support that care."

"This innovative project is a testament to excellent partnership working by County Council and NHS staff and it is exciting to see another of our ten homes about to open, providing older people in the area with nursing care as they grow older and less able to care for themselves."

Barbara North, Chairman of Winchester and Eastleigh Healthcare NHS Trust, said: "We are sad to see Mary go but delighted that we will be working with her in her new role. The nursing home is a great step forward and will improve partnership working between health and social care as well as supporting our joint aims of providing the right treatment in the right place at the right time."

A range of staff are still being sought to work at the state-of-the-art home, and those with an interest in joining the team or wanting further information are invited to contact Hampshire County Council Resourcing Centre on 01962 813900, or visit www.brandnewlook.co.uk

The building work has been carried out by HBG Construction, one of three main contractors working on the nursing homes project.

ENDS

Notes for Editors
Of the other nine nursing homes, the first two have opened - Hawthorne Court in Fareham and Ticehurst in Aldershot, with three additional homes scheduled to open to residents over the spring/early summer - Oakridge in Basingstoke, Marlfield in Alton, and Fleming House in Eastleigh. Work is well underway at Bickerley Green nursing home in Ringwood, and construction also commences next week at the eighth and ninth nursing homes, Westholme in Winchester and at Emsworth House. Work on the final home at Tatchbury Mount, Calmore in the New Forest will start this summer.

You are welcome to send a reporter/photographer to the open day - please contact the press officer below for further details.

The Leader and Executive Member positions will be officially ratified at the County Council meeting of 16 May 2005.

For further information please contact: Tracy Buckland on 01962 847363
tracy.buckland@hants.gov.uk

16/05/2005