SURREY is facing a shortfall in specialist residential and nursing care for people with complex needs such as dementia, says a report.

Data suggests by 2025 there will be 24 per cent more people living with dementia than in 2016.

Surrey County Council (SCC) officers are now looking at ways to meet the shortfall including using council-owned land.

Cabinet members approved one such scheme at their meeting on Tuesday, September 25, where they agreed for a contract to be given to Care UK Community Partnerships Ltd to build a residential dementia and nursing home at the site of Brockhurst care home in Ottershaw.

Brockhurst is one of the six ‘Older People’s In-House Homes’ SCC agreed to close in March 2015.

A commitment was made at the time by Surrey’s cabinet member for adult social care, Mel Few, to review all six sites, including Cobgates in Falkner Road, Farnham, for use by Adult Social Care.

A subsequent review of the Brockhurst site identified that it could be suitable for a residential dementia and nursing care facility of up to 80 beds.

By contrast Cobgates is being promoted for housing as part of an early review of the Farnham Neighbourhood Plan, after SCC deemed it “unsuitable for future care use”.

Announcing the Brockhurst plans, Mr Few said the partnership with Care UK Community Partnerships Ltd was a “new arrangement” for Surrey, adding the county council “will be guaranteed up to 50 per cent of the beds”.

The project to demolish the current building and construct the new care home is now subject to planning approval. It was not made public how much the contract is worth.

It is estimated that by 2030 more than 22 per cent of Surrey residents will be aged 65 and over, compared to 19 per cent in 2018. Within the 65 and over population, it is forecast that by 2025 there will be 20,075 living with dementia – an increase from 16,169 in 2016.

A shortfall of 1,343 beds is estimated in Surrey by 2025.