Specialist Extra Care service officially opened by Lord Best

Community Integrated Care and Knowsley Housing Trust (KHT) celebrated the official opening the flagship Extra Care development, Bluebell Park, with a ceremony overseen by British social housing leader and member of the House of Lords, Lord Best OBE.

Residents and guests enjoyed the official ribbon cutting ceremony followed by an opening speech by Lord Best. Over lunch, residents and visitors to Bluebell Park mingled and talked about the positive impact which living in the scheme had made to their lives. The residents then proudly demonstrated the facilities and services available at the Extra Care Scheme including: the on-site bistro, games room, hair salon, gardens, a guest bedroom, an assisted bathroom and one of the spacious apartments available at the development.

The Extra Care Scheme, built to provide flexibility for local residents’ changing independent living needs, have allowed KHT, part of the First Ark Group, to offer 21 Shared Ownership properties and 101 one-and-two bedroom apartments for affordable rent to people over 55, with or without a current care need.

Community Integrated Care will provide specialist care and support to residents living at the site, as part of our ongoing partnership with KHT and Knowsley Borough Council.

The service will provide high quality housing, support, and care services which enable and encourage people to live independently for as long as they wish to and are able to. This includes additional support and care to avoid admission to hospital or long-term care where possible.

Neil Matthewman, Chief Executive of Community Integrated Care, said: “We are proud to be working in partnership with Knowsley Borough Council and KHT to deliver care and support at Bluebell Park. This service will truly enhance the lives of people supported here, offering a fantastic living environment, specialist support and great social activities.”

Bob Taylor, CEO of the First Ark Group, said: “The official opening of Bluebell Park marks the culmination of a state-of-the-art project to invest in the borough by collaborating with likeminded partners to deliver homes and support services that will have a lasting and positive impact on health and wellbeing in the communities in which we all live and work.

“This type of supported living provided by Bluebell Park is very much the model for the future, helping to address some of the strain placed upon our hospitals and reduce public costs to the NHS and social care budgets.”