Construction of Kings Inch Care Home underway

11.07.00am BST (GMT +0100) Fri 2nd Oct 2009

The Liberal Democrat led City Council has started work on Edinburgh's newest care home at Kings Inch. The 60 bed care home is due to open in spring 2011.

Councillor Paul Edie, Convener of the Health and Social Care Committee, said: "I am delighted that work has started on Edinburgh's latest new care home. This new home will give residents a better standard of living than the homes it replaces.

"As a Council we are committed to offering high quality residential care for older people in the city and it's important they have choice in the care they receive. Kings Inch will widen this choice and I am sure the care delivered will be of high quality."

The new care home will be sub-divided into smaller group living units of 15 bedrooms, each with their own sitting and dining areas. Bedrooms are of a good size as requested by residents and each has an en suite shower-room.

Local Councillor Conor Snowden said, "I am delighted that construction has finally started. Back in February in the Council Budget debate I was concerned that the Labour opposition voted to cut £2 million from the budget for these new care homes. Fortunately their amendment was defeated."

The new Kings Inch Care Home will have 60 places and is due to open in spring 2011. Kings Inch will be sub-divided into smaller group living units of 15 bedrooms, each with their own sitting and dining areas. As requested by residents, bedrooms are of a good size and each has an ensuite shower-room.

The provision of the new care home is part of Edinburgh's 'Live Well in Later Life' strategy, which aims to provide a wide range of quality care and support, to meet older people's needs both in their own homes and in carefully designed homes. The new care home will be beneficial in providing a caring and supportive service for older people so they can enjoy a better quality of life.

It also marks the phased replacement of older style Council care homes which now need to be upgraded to provide more care in an environment welcomed by those needing to use care home services.

Related Link:

Full details of the Lib Dem led Council's live well in later life project.