The facility at Parkiew Gardens residential home in Barrow is the result of a partnership between the NHS Lancashire and Cumbria ICB, University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust and Westmorland and Furness Council.

Jane Scattergood, director of health and care integration for South Cumbria, said: ‘A huge amount of collaborative work between the council, the NHS Trust and the ICB has gone into setting this new service up for our citizens. We are hoping to build on this community-based approach across our footprint to achieve the best outcomes for our residents, so that they can remain healthy and independent within their own homes.'

Since opening in August 2024, the facility has seen around 30 citizens come through the new service with half of these now returned to their own home following a period of supported rehabilitation.

A second phase is due to open in October, extending the number of intermediate care beds. The service will also provide several planned respite beds for short-term support, which will afford full time carers an opportunity a break from their caring responsibilities.

Once all beds are open the service will also offer ‘step-up' support for people in the community who need a short period of bed-based care, who might otherwise need to be admitted to hospital or long-term residential care.