Eric Wright Health and Care has acquired Bispham Rehabilitation Centre near Blackpool as part of its business strategy to work in the intermediate and residential care market.
With plans to convert the facility into a residential care home with specialist dementia provision, the company acquired the property from Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust and will deliver both the required refurbishment programme and the ongoing management in partnership with Spiral Health CIC (Community Interest Company).
Plans for the facility are yet to be finalised, but initial designs include an extension to accommodate a residential unit of around 40 beds divided into distinct areas to facilitate the provision of dementia and specialist care. Other services planned for the unit include therapy services, with a focus on re-ablement and rehabilitation for the frail and elderly.
Christine Winstanley, director at Eric Wright Health and Care, explains: “This is a very exciting time for our two businesses to work more closely together.
“As the health and social care economy looks for new system enablers that are sustainable and cost effective, a partnership between a community interest company and an organisation wholly owned by a charity should be an ideal solution.
“Our involvement in taking on this existing facility and converting it into an intermediate and residential care facility will ensure that we continue to build on the legacy of Spiral Health’s service provision in Bispham, extending therapy and support to residential care for local people with a broad range of needs.
“We will operate the new facility as a best practice model for the sector and recruitment will begin in line with the build programme to ensure that we have the managerial, care and support staff in place for a planned opening date.”
Tracey Bush, CEO at Spiral Health CIC, added: “We are delighted to have formed a partnership with the Eric Wright Group to drive forward a new model of residential and nursing care for the Fylde Coast community.
“As a social enterprise we pride ourselves on being autonomous, innovative, flexible and responsive to the needs of the people we will be supporting and we look forward to adding social value to the area by creating sustainable employment with two award-winning organisations.”
The proposed scheme, which is expected to create 30 jobs, has garnered widespread local support.
Paul Maynard, MP for Blackpool North & Cleveleys, said: “It’s essential that care provision evolves to meet the needs of local people and the refurbishment of Bispham Rehabilitation Centre as a nursing home with specialist provision will help to achieve this for local people.”