ACCOMMODATION for people with learning disabilities could be improved if plans for The Oaks site at Baubigny are accepted. Health and Social Services wants to build two blocks containing 13 bedrooms at the St Sampson’s site.
This would be in addition to the six bedrooms for which it has been given planning approval at Valderie in St Martin’s. Director of corporate affairs Richard Evans said the application was part of the department’s phased redevelopment plan and replaced a previous one for The Oaks for just one block of accommodation.
At present, there are 12 people living in Oberlands House who need to be relocated as that is to be demolished and replaced with an adult mental health services unit. Six of those will move to Valderie, while the others will go to The Oaks.
The other seven bedrooms at The Oaks will be taken by people who are being catered for in off-island placements and those who would require off-island placements in future if these rooms were not available.
Mr Evans said the plans were being submitted before the States debate on spending prioritisation so that work could begin straight away if it were given the financial backing. That debate is likely to be at the end of this year or at the start of 2009.
‘Oberlands House was built in the 1970s to 1970s standards. It’s institutionalised. The facilities in there are 30 years old. It’s dated, it’s served its purpose,’ said Mr Evans.
‘If this work gets delayed by the States we will have to spend more money on Oberlands to make it habitable and to keep it as up to date as possible.
‘We would also have to spend more money on Castel Hospital.’
Along with The Oaks and Valderie plans, the department has submitted two further proposals to Treasury and Resources ahead of the prioritisation debate.
One is for Castel Hospital and Oberlands and the other is to update Giffard Ward at the hospital. The estimated cost of The Oaks and Valderie together would be just under £6m.
But these proposals will be competing against other projects that need the cash in the prioritisation debate such as the runway and schools.
And depending on what the States decides is more important, work on The Oaks and other developments might be pushed back.
‘It’s expensive sending people to the UK. If we can look after them here it will save us a lot of money in the long run,’ said Mr Evans.
‘But The Oaks needs to be done before Oberlands and the Castel Hospital.
‘By building these homes, it will create a much more modern and up- to-date service to look after these people.’
Article posted on 11th July, 2008 - 2.29pm
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