A SKIPTON care home looks set to be kept under council control and converted into a ‘care and support hub’.

North Yorkshire County Council had considered finding a private provider to run Ashfield Care Home after a new 58-apartment extra care facility opened as a replacement for the Carleton Road site earlier this summer.

But officials have now made a recommendation to keep the care home and use it for a range of services including long and short term care, and rehabilitation beds.

Mike Rudd, head of housing, technology and sustainability at the county council, said in a report to an executive meeting next Tuesday that the authority wanted to do this because of problems finding private providers, and to also meet a “clear and growing need” for short term care.

He said: “Whilst the need for extra care housing remains, changes in the care market and increasing pressures throughout the health and care system require a review of the assumption that elderly people’s homes will be replaced.

“There is a clear and growing need for capacity which is able to support people in the short term, to either prevent admission to long term health or care services or support people in returning home.

“The North Yorkshire care market is currently highly fragile following the Covid pandemic which further reduces the possibility of a successful procurement approach.”

The new 58-apartment facility that opened earlier this summer was Eller Beck which is being run by not-for-profit care provider Housing 21.

It opened in June on the site of the former St Monica’s Convent off Raikes Road and provides extra care which involves residents living independently in their own apartments, with care and support provided when needed.

The county council said all Ashfield Care Home residents have been offered an opportunity to move into a new facility, as well as those living in Neville House in Gargrave after efforts to find a private provider there failed.

Mr Rudd added: “Several previous attempts to secure an extra care provider for Gargrave have been unsuccessful. It is therefore proposed to offer the new extra care provision at Skipton as the extra care replacement for Neville House.

“This proposal will provide existing residents with the option to move to extra care.

“Neville House will remain open whilst further work is completed on future options for its use.”