FIVE jobs have been lost at Mardy Park following the review of the services which are on offer at the resource centre.

In addition one management position has gone and another 13 members of staff have had their hours of work cut. The number of respite beds now available at Mardy Park is two, compared with six, but members of Monmouthshire County Council cabinet were told that this had been decided because the unit was running at an average of 43 per cent capacity over the past year.

The five long-term residents will stay as long as the resource centre meets their needs. But as these beds become available no more long term residents will be admitted, and the vacant beds will be used for respite care when needed.

The review by MCC will continue by looking at the rehabilitation wing and the day centre. Beds which are under-used for rehabilitation will be used for emergency respite care.

Councillor Geoff Burrows (pictured) told his cabinet colleagues: "Mardy Park has a sound long term future. I would like to acknowledge the first class work carried out by the staff, and some of them are facing difficulties as a result of the review. We are on a journey that has been very good in the past and we are working towards giving more independence to the elderly enabling them to live at home. We must use local services that are available for the Gwent Frailty Programme. It will be the northern hub for the programme."

He said a social worker had been briefed and had visited all families registered as being users of the respite service to assess their needs.

Matthew Gatehouse, who consulted with staff, said he was confident that they can meet demand for services with two respite beds. Social services director Simon Burch said it was their duty to meet the needs of those needing respite care.

Councillors were told the Gwent Frailty model will develop the provision of integrated health and social care services focused on earlier intervention and preventing ill-health. The review of Mardy Park has set out a vision of the site as a community hub for health and social care services, primarily focused on older people in north Monmouthshire for the next 10 – 15 years. There will be a range of services in place that provide help to people when they need to keep them living independently and which are capable of acting rapidly to prevent hospital admissions.