The down side to axing centre care and services

Published 5 Sep 2010 16:00 0 Comments

VICTIMS of a day centre closing have spoken about their loss and feeling that they have been left with no support.

Members of the former Downside Resource Centre which closed in June say they feel there is nowhere for them to go and are disappionted that they are having to stump up the cash for services they believed whould be subsidised or still funded for them.

Speaking at a members farewell party held at the Learning Resources Centre in Rectory Road on Tuesday, August 31, former Downside user, Maggie Gillson, 51, said: “The government is closing day centres left right and centre, at Downside we used to do arts and crafts, pottery and Tai Chi, then an elderly day centre in Bracknell closed and they joined us at Downside and we soon found that we had to lose days to give way to the elderly users.

“Now, Downside members who are under 65 have nowhere to go, we were told that we might be able to share our services with Wokingham Borough Council but we’ve not been offered that yet.”

Users of Downside who are under 65 and have long-term health conditions are now means tested to see which services they are entitled to, a system which is referred to as ‘personalisation’. However, people are finding that the system often leaves them having to pay for services themselves.

Centre user Tracy Musto, 44, was on the council’s trial of a direct payment scheme which would pay for services for disabled and elderly people such as cleaning and shopping help, but said that she has not seen those payments come through and has had to pay upfront for them herself.

Another user, Lynda Little, 56, who is confined to a wheelchair is not entitled to car services from the council but has recently lost her driving licence.

She said: “The future is looking pretty dark. I’ve been going to Downside for 24 years, five days a week and after today, I’m on my own and I’ll have to figure out what to do with myself.”

Glyn Jones, director of Adult Social Care and Health at Bracknell Forest Council, said: "Unfortunately the council faces tough financial times and recommended the re-provision of the services for Downside. Since 2004 there has been a 43 per cent drop in the attendance of the centre and, to date attendance at the centre equates to only 15 per cent of the total number of people who use day care services in the borough.

"Since the building's closure last November (due to problems found in the water system), people who use the service have been given alternative opportunites and choices for getting out into the community.

"These include providing staff support at the Open Learning Centre for socialising and accessing arts and computing classes and a wide variety of leisure venues. Some people have also attended Sandhurst Day Centre."

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This article appeared in Villager 02 Sep 10

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