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  5. Dorset Extra Care Housing Strategic Statement 2024 to 2039 - Summary

Dorset Extra Care Housing Strategic Statement 2024 to 2039 - Summary

Last updated 12 August 2024

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Introduction

1.1 The Extra Care statement supports the delivery of the council’s ‘A Better Life’ plan and in particular the achievement of the following key outcome:

‘People have access to excellent care and support in their home, both responsive short-term reablement and longer-term care, which always puts independence at its heart and helps people to continue to live independently for as long as possible, utilising equipment and assistive technology where appropriate.’

1.2 The statement provides clear evidence about the need for extra care housing across Dorset and the benefits new extra care homes will deliver over the next 15 years. This evidence and the housing demand and commissioning priorities it highlights, will support the development of the Council’s Housing Strategy and Local Plan.

1.3 The key benefits that the strategic statement is seeking to deliver are:

  • more Dorset residents with higher and long-term care and health needs able to live in a home of their own that can easily adapt with their changing needs
  • they can live in a supportive community where there are highly skilled staff; accessible and well-designed shared living spaces and gardens and care technologies, which can help them live the way they choose and feel secure
  • a reduction in the number of residents being placed by the council, in more restrictive institutional care such as care homes
  • through achieving this maximising the independence of residents with care needs and critically reducing pressure on adult social care spending. Extra Care Housing can deliver significant costs avoidances or costs savings to the social care revenue budget. This is based on Extra Care Housing providing a genuine alternative to more institutional forms of care such as Residential Care Homes, set up to support people with more complex mobility, health and support needs. Financial modelling for 4 new schemes suggests that with an annual revenue investment of between £430,000 and £530,000 per scheme, annual savings or cost avoidances of £200,000 and £255,000 per scheme can be achieved

1.4 In addition to setting out the Dorset wide evidence that supports the development of new extra care homes, the statement also sets out the need and extra care housing requirements of residents living in each of Dorset’s localities.

1.5 Whereas the statement addresses the needs of residents who are eligible for Council funded care under the Care Act and who need affordable extra care homes, the statement also covers the extra care housing requirement of homeowners and residents who arrange and fund their own care and support. 

This supports both the council’s social care and housing priorities for residents eligible for its support but also provides the evidence for the Local Plan and Housing Strategy, covering the extra care housing demand amongst all of Dorset’s residents and households.

1.6 Overall the statement maps out a new council commissioning framework for extra care housing.

This framework not only ensures that Dorset can provide the extra care homes it’s residents need but can deliver the highly skilled care and support services, which maximise the design benefits of extra care housing to support the independence of Dorset’s most vulnerable residents.

Extra care housing explained

2.1 Extra care housing offers a home designed to adapt to changing care needs and to the needs of:

  • people with disabilities
  • people who are socially excluded
  • people with long term health needs

2.2 Accessible community facilities and shared spaces are designed and provided, to meet the social, health, community and therapeutic needs of a broad range of people with care, support and health needs.

2.3 Extra care is first and foremost a type of housing, and a person’s individual home not a care home.

2.4 Extra care tenants have their own flats provided under a tenancy or lease, with their own fully accessible bedroom, bathroom, kitchen and living room.

2.5 An onsite care and support service is provided with their tenancy available 24/7

2.6 Extra Care Housing is different from others forms of specialist accommodation for people with care needs.

Care homes only provide a bedroom and ensuite bathroom facilities; residents have no tenancy rights and their care is provided with their accommodation by the same provider.

Sheltered and retirement housing provides a housing warden offering general advice and low-level support, and who may only be available part of the day and week usually only during office hours.

Sheltered housing does not provide support and help with personal care.

Many sheltered housing schemes were developed several decades ago and do not offer accessible homes or shared spaces for residents with mobility or complex care needs.

2.7 Extra care housing can transform the lives of people who have complex care, health and mobility needs by offering them the chance of living in a home of their own designed to meet their care needs and which offers highly skilled staff alongside new care technologies, available to respond to their needs 24/7.

This ensures their independence even to the end of their lives, while offering a safe and secure environment for them to live in.

3 The evidence for extra care in Dorset

3.1 The strategic statement has been prepared based on extensive evidence gathering and analysis and through comparing Dorset’s approach to extra care housing development and commissioning, with other similar local authorities and with regional and national good practise.

3.2 We have:

3.2.1 Benchmarked with Local Authorities with similar demographic, economic, social care and health profiles.

3.2.2 Developed comprehensive demographic, socio-economic, health, housing need and social care data both Dorset wide and for each locality.

3.2.3 Reviewed national and regional good practice arising from bodies including;

  • Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE)
  • Housing-LIN (leading extra care and supported housing research body)
  • Southwest Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS)

3.2.4 Undertaken cost benefit analysis looking at a range of extra care options, cost benchmarked against other forms of care, particularly care home costs.

3.2.5 Engaged with key leaders and frontline professional across adult social care, housing, commissioning and planning.

3.2.6 Reviewed existing extra care housing services used by the council, including Occupational Therapy (OT) led building evaluations.

3.2.7 Mapped the proposed Extra Care Housing outcomes and priorities to key council strategies and plans including:

  • A Better Life Strategy
  • The Housing Strategy
  • Emerging Dorset Local Plan and Planning Policy Framework

3.3 The following population and care need evidence, was considered in the development of Dorset’s Extra Care Housing Strategic Statement:

  • 113,000 older residents (1/3rd of Dorset’s population), rising faster than other age groups
  • 55,000 residents are over 75 and this will rise by 28,000 by 2038
  • significant rises in dementia growing by 3,940 residents by 2038 and an 8,812 rise in in older people with mobility challenges
  • 12,458 young adults with mobility challenges
  • 4,810 adults under 65 with a learning disability
  • 1,867 younger autistic adults with long term support needs

3.4 The 2021 council housing needs assessment projects that the growth in the older population and care needs will require more extra care homes to be built by 2038.

3.5 To meet Dorset’s current population needs four new extra care housing sites need to be developed over the next 5 years with further development needed by 2038.

3.6 A more detailed summary is provided for each of the following areas of Dorset.

3.7 East Dorset

3.7.1 Has the largest older population at 28,346 rising to 33,664 by 2036 with most council funded home care packages (26%)

3.7.2 83% of older households are middle to high income home-owners / 17% = low-income tenants or home-owners.

3.7.3 Homeowner Market already responding but more affordable extra care homes needed.

3.8 South Dorset (Weymouth & Portland)

3.8.1 Has the third highest older population at 19,731 rising to 28,093 by 2036 with the second highest council funded home care packages (21%)

3.8.2 46% of older households are higher income home-owners and 54% are low-income tenants or home-owners.

3.8.3 More affordable homes needed and more options for homeowners, in particular for low to middle income households.

3.9 North Dorset

3.9.1 Has the second highest older population at 25,475 and the third highest council funded homecare packages (19%)

3.9.2 The older population will grow by 33% to 33,819, becoming the highest population by 2036

3.9.3 56% of older households are higher income homeowners and 35% are low-income tenants.

3.9.4 Highest need for more extra care homes, with more needed for homeowners.

3.10 Mid-Dorset 

3.10.1 Has the lowest older population at 13,208 rising to 20,105 by 2036 and one of the lowest council funded homecare packages (11%)

3.10.2 54% of older households are higher income homeowners and 36% are low-income tenants.

3.10.3 Has the highest level of extra care homes and the lowest need for more homes.

3.11 West Dorset

3.11.1 Has the second lowest older population at 13,226 that will rise to 16,525 by 2036 and one of the lowest council funded homecare packages (11%)

3.11.2 57% of older households are higher income homeowners and 35% are low-income tenants.

3.11.3 Very limited extra care housing supply with a need to develop more homes by 2038

3.12 South East Dorset

3.12.1 Has one of the lowest older populations at 13,717 rising to 17,952 by 2036 and of all council funded homecare packages, only 12% are provided across SE Dorset.

3.12.2 61% of older households are higher income homeowners and 31% are low-income tenants

3.12.3 No extra care housing on offer.

4 Strategic priorities

4.1 Based on this evidence and engagement across social care, housing, health and planning the statement proposes 5 key strategic priorities.

4.1.1 Providing more well designed and fully accessible extra care homes driven by the following:

  • located near to good public transport; major shopping hubs and health and other key amenities within the context of accessible neighbourhoods
  • achieving the above through encouraging extra care development in and around major towns and as part of major housing development schemes
  • reflecting modern extra care housing design standards in Dorset’s Local Plan and Planning framework, ensuring the very best design is delivered by all housing providers
  • achieving strong partnerships with housing providers, health and key partners to secure the new extra care housing Dorset needs

4.1.2 Progressing current council led extra care housing developments at Bridport and Wareham.

4.1.3 Prioritising development of a further two council commissioned extra care sites, in localities that will achieve the greatest benefit including:

  • South Dorset (Weymouth)
  • East Dorset (Ferndown or Wimborne)
  • encouraging extra care housing development across North Dorset across all tenures

4.1.4 Reviewing current sheltered housing schemes to determine whether:

  • they meet extra care design requirements
  • offer opportunities for new extra care housing

4.1.5 Commissioning and funding a 24/7 onsite support and care model that ensures:

  • a wide range of need supported including dementia, learning disability, autistic people, mental health and end of life
  • that support achieves greater independence, resilience and social and community connection, to prevent loneliness and isolation
  • prevention of the escalation in care needs, and makes sure care home placements are avoided wherever possible
  • service flexibility to support residents doing things for themselves and to manage crisis well
  • ensures a sustainable and high skilled extra care housing workforce