Tenants and their families are encouraged to respond and to request a Care Act Assessment before the consultation ends in January

Two older people walk arm in arm — Photo by Jack Finnigan on Unsplash

Barnet Council is proposing ending waking night support, where a carer is present between 9pm and 7am, at three council funded sheltered housing schemes.

Currently Deborah Lodge, Gadsbury Close and Speedwell House each have a carer on hand over the night for all tenants.

The council is holding a consultation, open to tenants, family members and the general public on the plans.

The consultation states that the waking night support was originally provided to support a small number of tenants at night following an assessment of need by Adult Social Care. However, currently all tenants at night, regardless of whether they have assessed eligible needs, are able to access this. The council claims this is far broader than the intended purpose of the service at the point it was commissioned.

The proposal is based on a review which did not indicate that the service was meeting eligible care and support needs for tenants now residing at the sheltered schemes. The council believes there are other ways to support residents who may have eligible care and support needs.

The consultation, which can be found here, closes on 19th January. Following the consultation period the council will then make a decision on this proposal based on the responses to the consultation and the outcome of individual Care Act assessments.

The council encourages tenants to request a Care Act Assessment, if they feel they need one; so we can understand how best to support anyone with an eligible care and support need across these sheltered housing schemes (including those needing waking night support).

No news is bad news

Independent news outlets like ours – reporting for the community without rich backers – are under threat of closure, turning British towns into news deserts.

The audiences they serve know less, understand less, and can do less.

If our coverage has helped you understand our community a little bit better, please consider supporting us with a monthly, yearly or one-off donation.

Choose the news. Don’t lose the news.

Monthly direct debit

Annual direct debit

£5 per month supporters get a digital copy of each month’s paper before anyone else, £10 per month supporters get a digital copy of each month’s paper before anyone else and a print copy posted to them each month. £50 annual supporters get a digital copy of each month's paper before anyone else. £84 annual supporters get a print copy by post and a digital copy of each month's before anyone else.