A KNUTSFORD man believes a proposal to 'reform' dementia care in the borough could affect town residents.

Cheshire East Council’s Dementia Commissioning Plan proposes to transfer all respite care to the independent sector – meaning it will be provided privately and through voluntary services.

As a result, Hollins View Care Home, the only council-run facility in the former Macclesfield Borough Council area to offer respite for dementia patients, could close.

The council closed Bexton Court in Knutsford in 2012 and now is looking to commission services to private companies.

At the time of the Bexton closure it was announced that some former Bexton patients would be transferred to Hollins View for respite care.

Clr Michael Jones, leader of Cheshire East Council, has already defended his position in cabinet meetings after Crewe Labour Clr Dorothy Flude, who was one of six members of the opposition part to ‘call in’ the decision, inquired about who would be involved in a current public consultation on the plans.

The Conservative-run council is currently holding a six-week public consultation on the plans – which began on August 28 – which incorporates forms on its website and one-to-one interviews with service users.

Geoff Holman, of Leycester Road, told the Guardian the potential closure of Hollins View could hit Knutsfordians hard.

"I fully understand the need to expand facilities for respite care in view of the demands of an ageing population," he said.

"But I do not understand why CEC thinks it can do this more efficiently by paying private contractors to do this, all of whom have to make a profit. Council-owned facilities, such as Hollins View, have to be run efficiently, but they don’t have to make a profit.

"Under the terms of the current proposal exactly when would the capacity represented by Hollins View come on stream? Hollins View has some 30 to 40 bedrooms and substantial teams of nurses, carers and ancillary staff. Were HV to be closed, how and when would this capacity be phased in and exactly where will it come from?

"In view of this I am totally against the further privatisation of respite care. It must be possible for the council to provide the extra capacity itself, along Hollins View lines, cheaper that by paying multifarious, profit –making contractors.

"I am not against profit-making companies per se – I worked for AstraZeneca for 30 years – but not in the context of respite care and similar services."

A spokesman from the council said that no decision on Hollins View’s future would be made until after the consultation ends.

The spokesman said: “The consultation is based on personal interviews and discussions with service users and their carers instead of a public meeting, in order to ensure that their voices are clearly heard and recorded.

"The council’s recently approved Dementia Commissioning Plan includes the proposal to provide all residential respite care going forward within the private and voluntary sectors. This proposal will only be effected following the consultation with service users and carers of the current in-house service.

"The future of Hollins View will be considered following the consultation and it would be premature to comment further.”

What do you think about Cheshire East Council's proposal for caring for Dementia patients in Knutsford and the rest of the borough? Email yourviews@guardiangrp.co.uk.