'We sold our home to come here for the extra care - but now they've stopped it'

NO ROUND-THE-CLOCK CARERS AT INDEPENDENT LIVING APARTMENTS AFTER COUNCIL CHANGES

- By JOE LOCKER

A COUPLE in independent living apartments say “no one is happy there any more” after the council made changes to how it runs its services.

People in Seagrave Court, Bilborough, no longer receive “extra care” services, which included round-the-clock carers on site.

Nottingham City Council has implemented a new “home care” model across five independent living schemes in the city.

The schemes consist of self-contained flats with communal facilities, and residents typically pay rent, a service charge and a utility charge.

Residents at Seagrave say the change has left corridors devoid of “marvellous” carers, with care workers now only visiting at allocated time slots, depending on a person's needs, as determined by an assessment.

The Labour-led council says it made the change “to ensure the provision is focused on the resident's individual needs and offers equal access to services for people across the city.”

Jean Essex, who is in her 80s, moved into Seagrave with her husband, Ray, back in May.

She said they sold their three-bed home to move to Seagrave because they were told it offered extra care, but the changes then came into force months later in September.