Plans to develop the former Sidney Gale Care Home site in Bridport as Dorset’s first reablement centre for older people have been given the go ahead.
The 60-bed reablement centre will focus on supporting residents who are discharged from hospital or who are recovering after a fall or illness in their own home.
Cabinet yesterday authorised the investment as part of the local authority’s commitment to build up to three homes to ensure there are enough reablement and rehabilitation services across the county.
The centres are not hospitals or long-term care homes, but places where people receive short-term, intensive care and therapy in a home-like environment.
The services provided at the council-owned Bridport site will:
* Improve health outcomes for our residents, including preventing hospital admissions.
* Reduce pressure on NHS beds and services, including preventing admissions.
* Ensure that the council has sufficient care services to meet future demand for care.
Councillor Steve Robinson, Cabinet member for Adult Social Care, said the Sidney Gale site in Bridport was a prime location with good access to the town.
“It is close to our proposed Extra Care Housing development, supporting our ageing well in communities policy and has the potential for added value mixed use, additional facilities and key worker accommodation nearby.
“Reablement centres are fantastic in ensuring that people can continue living independently in their community after illness and to cope with the consequences of old age.
“They support and encourage people’s highest level of participation in their own care – such as dressing, moving around the home and relearning domestic tasks, ensuring they are as active as possible within their own community,” he added.
Dorset’s ageing demographic means the challenge of supporting people to return home after time spent in hospital is a key priority. Research has shown a projected shortfall in the supply of nursing beds available in the county to meet demand by 2030.
Without this type of investment, residents face spending longer times in hospital, and once discharged, are likely to be transferred to care homes rather than go home.
A planning application will come forward next year, and if successful, construction will start in early 2026 with the opening planned for 2028. The Bridport reablement site will be the first to go ahead, subject to agreement from Cabinet next year on the construction partners and costs.
Talks at a second site, on the Dorset County Hospital estate in Dorchester, are continuing.
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