CAMPAIGNERS have criticised plans to close day centres that offer “vital” services for elderly residents and adults with special needs across Dorset.
This comes as Dorset Council looks to reorganise the way it delivers adult services across the county, with it considering closing several centres and replacing these with a ‘hub and spokes’ model.
There are currently 11 day centres operating throughout the county – but only five would be retained under the new model.
These hubs would provide a place to meet friends and sign up for activities, while the ‘spokes’ would connect people to specialist services, community centres and groups.
But campaigners say that removing these centres could leave people isolated.
Under the new plans, centres in Sherborne, Shaftesbury and Blandford would close, with Stour Connect in Sturminster Newton becoming the hub for north Dorset.
Councillor Steve Robinson, cabinet portfolio lead for adult social care, said the proposals would give people greater choice and opportunity and reduce “the need for sometimes old and draughty buildings that are no longer fit for purpose.”
However, the council is facing a wave of opposition to the plans with campaigners concerned over the immediate and local impact on its users – some, who have been attending the same centres for decades.
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Many day centre users and their families got in touch with your New Blackmore Vale to express their shock and concern over the plans, as they say that the centres are not only well-used but are vital to users’ wellbeing.
‘Day centre is always busy’
This includes Dr Emma Briant, whose father attends the Shaftesbury Trinity Centre in Bimport.
She said her father is not in a position to drive to Sturminster Newton should the Trinity Centre close.
“Like many elderly veterans, he struggles with PTSD, and like many of the people who depend daily on the support of the day centre, even slight changes to his routine have a tremendous impact on his mental and physical health,” she said.
“He walks with crutches and cannot walk far; the next closest day centre would be too long a drive for him and he cannot park close enough to walk from the car to the door – at the Trinity Centre he can stop right outside.
Dr Briant is concerned over the impact the potential closure could have on her father Picture: Dr Briant
“The council are claiming the day centre is underused, but I have been there many times and it is always busy and full of elderly people.
“The council needs to understand how devastating closing this centre will be to some of the most vulnerable people in Dorset, including my father.”
Dorset Council claims the Trinity Centre only sees a maximum of four attendees a day.
A spokesperson said: “We appreciate that the current consultation might be a cause of concern to current users of the building in Shaftesbury but want to assure everyone that no decision has been taken and we are actively working with people to find the best way of supporting, not just those who use the building at the moment, but also those that might have additional needs within the community.
“Our aim over the three-month consultation is to find better ways of enabling users to actually have greater choice and flexibility in what they can do and ideally as close to their home as possible.”
They added: “In the most recent weeks there have been eight Dorset Council users and three self-funders across the week (we are only aware of the self-funders who use DC transport).
“When looking at actual attendance, there is a maximum of four people attending at any given day (usually a Friday) but the majority of days there are approximately two to three people attending per day, with zero on a Thursday.”
“Relationships will be torn apart”
Dr Briant said the Trinity Centre provides key services, such as checking that people are taking their medication and making sure they are looking after themselves.
“It gives [my father] purpose, and joy, he feels useful and helpful,” she added.
“The day centre isn’t just about ‘activity provision’, it creates a close community of people with relationships, who care about each other, connections that revolve around meeting in that place every day… those relationships will be torn apart and lost if the council closes the day centre.
“They seem to think because these people are disabled and elderly, the continuity of their relationships is irrelevant. The people this will impact are terrified.”
There is no direct bus between Shaftesbury and Sturminster Newton, making attending the proposed hub difficult for those unable to drive.
“Council’s plans fundamentally wrong”
MP Simon Hoare (Conservatives/North Dorset) wrote about the proposed closures in his latest column in the last issue of the New Blackmore Vale.
He said his inbox is full of people anxious over the plans, adding that he is doing all that he can to ensure that these “vital local services are continued”.
He said: “The council’s plans are fundamentally wrong. We have an ageing population, youngsters with very complex needs and a growing population through new housebuilding locally.”
These worries have been echoed by many readers.
This includes Mary Kinsler, who volunteers at the Blandford Connect Centre at Heddington Drive, where her disabled son attends.
Mary says that the new model means changing a system that is “working well” and that her son would struggle to understand the need to change his routine.
“For people that have been going to the same centre for 20 years, you can imagine – especially if they have a disability – its very difficult to understand why their services are being moved,” she said.
The Blandford Connect Day Centre could close under the proposals Picture: Google
“This is even more difficult as a parent, and many who have been told about the proposed closures are quite upset. If the changes go through as proposed, the impact would be devastating.”
She added that the changes would break up tight-knit community groups that have developed over the years.
A spokesperson for carers, parents and other users of the Blandford Connect Centre believes Dorset Council views the money as cost-cutting measures.
They said the council should focus on making the centre more financially viable, with increased efforts to get other community groups to use it, rather than go down the route of closures to save money.
“Dorset Council, as we know, is cost-cutting,” they said.
“The way they are suggesting is not acceptable, which will put extra pressure on already stressed parents.
“They are suggesting the centre is underutilised and costing the Dorset Council money in upkeep.”
They added: “We see alternatives to making the centre work and made it known to Dorset Council instead of disrupting a community of people of varying ages and personal needs, taking into account some of this community have been there for over 20 years and have made friendships.”
According to data from Dorset Council, the authority directly commissions places for 21 people for the Blandford Connect Centre, with 12 to 14 people attending on its most popular day, Wednesday.
Under the proposals, these users would have to travel roughly 20 minutes by car to the proposed hub in Sturminster Newton, with many of the users then reliant on carers/family members for a lift, rather than accessing a centre close to their home.
Dorset Council says the proposals came about as a result of asking people who use these centres about their experiences, as they say many would like a “wider choice of local activities with more flexible options” as well as activities during the weekend and evenings.
People have until June 9 to have their say on the online consultation.
To view the consultation, click here.
A petition calling for Dorset Council to reconsider their proposal has reached 1,804 signatures.
My son has been attending blandford connect for over 20 years he has very close relationships with other users he would be devastated to lose it and the carers would lose vital respite .Most of the people were at stour connect but chose to come to Blandford because stour connect was not suitable and it took too long to get there