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A Buckinghamshire charity fears people with learning disabilities will “lose out” under new county council plans to transfer short break services to Aylesbury.

Trustees at the Buckinghamshire Disability Service (BuDS) have outlined who they think the “winners and losers” will be, after Bucks County Council (BCC) consulted on plans to transfer residential short breaks for disabled adults from Seeleys House, in Beaconsfield, to the Aylesbury Opportunities Centre.

The consultation closed on Wednesday, March 13.

BuDS has welcomed the news that nurses will work at the Aylesbury site – as this will allow disabled people with ongoing medical conditions to use the residential service.

However, the charity is concerned this will come at a price – as there will be less beds for adults with severe learning disabilities who do not have a medical condition.

BuDS has now called for BCC to publish its estimates for future demand at the Aylesbury site.

A statement published by the charity said: “BuDS very much welcomes that the new Aylesbury centre will have on-site medical cover from qualified nurses, allowing disabled people with medical conditions to get respite there.

“This is great for Bucks families who have a severely disabled family member with medical conditions, who will now have local access to safe respite beds. But that gain cannot be at the expense of other families who are just as much in need of respite beds for other reasons.”

Ann Hedges, from BuDS, added: “On the information we have so far, it seems to us that many more disabled people, and particularly learning-disabled people, will lose out from the council’s plan.

“Once again, the most vulnerable people in Bucks, and their carers, are being hit.

Read more at: https://www.bucksfreepress.co.uk/news/17530544.seeleys-house-beaconsfield-fears-people-with-learning-disabilities-will-lose-out-amid-plans-to-transfer-short-breaks-services-to-aylesbury/