Cllr Evelyn Akoto, Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing at Southwark Council visited Waterside Care Home to officially open our new specialist Avon Unit which has increased nursing care and reablement capacity in the borough.
Cllr Akoto was joined by Agincare Founder and Chairman Derek Luckhurst and Chief Executive Raina Summerson (pictured below) to open the unit. It currently has 17 bedrooms and spacious communal areas to support both people in reablement pathways and those who need to be discharged from hospital for further assessment, or to prevent hospital admission. Waterside Care Home will also provide nursing provision to a further 16 people, and it is expected that this will continue to develop over time.
Agincare Group Chief Executive Raina Summerson said:
Agincare is proud to work closely in partnership with Southwark Council and the South East London ICB to increase nursing capacity across the borough.
As a leading care provider nationwide, we have over 35 years of experience of delivering high quality, personalised care in a wide range of settings, and look forward to developing our services to support local people in the area.
Since opening the unit has made a major impact on delayed hospital discharges with over 80% of people who stayed in the unit returning home without the need for additional ongoing support.
Southwark Council Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing Cllr Akoto officially opened the Avon Unit with Agincare Founder and Chairman Derek Luckhurst (both pictured above).
Cllr Evelyn Akoto said:
In Southwark, we are bucking the national decline in the number of nursing care beds. They provide complex and specialist support that is vital to our social care ecosystem.
The new Avon Unit means more joined up care for our residents with a real focus on them retaining their independence. We are delighted by the unit’s success so far; the product of expert care and close work between the council, Agincare and the local NHS.
David Griffiths, a former patient at Avon Unit, and his wife Annette were special guests at the official opening where they were reunited with Physio Steve Etchells and Social Worker Kayla Raif, who supported his recovery (pictured below).
David said:
I was used to walking over 5,000 steps a day but following an accident I was unable to walk at all. Even after 7 weeks in hospital, my walking was severely limited and, thankfully, I was transferred to the Avon Unit. Everyone at the unit was extremely kind and worked together as a team to facilitate my recovery to become more and more independent.
From the start my physio Steve set goals for my rehabilitation which enabled me to walk out of the unit with the use of two sticks, whereas when I came in I could walk only 20 metres using a frame, and I’m still getting better and walking further every day.
Earlier this year, Southwark Council appointed Agincare as the new care provider for four homes in the borough – Waterside (pictured below), Greenhive, Bluegrove House and Rose Court under a long-term partnership arrangement.
Agincare is a leading independent care provider that has been providing high-quality affordable care for over 36 years. Our comprehensive range of services includes care and nursing homes, home care and assisted living schemes, live-in care and supported living – employing over 4,000 people in more than 70 locations nationwide.