Ex-care home to become 'health and social care hub’ (From York Press)

Ex-care home to become 'health and social care hub’

9:31am Wednesday 31st October 2012 in News By Richard Catton, richard.catton@thepress.co.uk

Oliver House, which could be home to some of York’s main welfare bodies by the summer

A FORMER care home in York is to be turned into “health and social care hub” in a million-pound redevelopment.

York Care Volunteer Service (CVS), which runs the Priory Street Centre, said it hoped nearby Oliver House, a former council-run care home, would be up and running in the summer as home to some of the city’s main welfare organisations.

Angela Portz, chief executive of York CVS, said: “The idea is that it would be a health and social care hub for York. We have a number of organisations which are interested in being co-located, such as York Blind and Partially Sighted Society, Age UK York, Snappy and the Independent Living Scheme.

“It’s a really nice mix of complementary organisations.”

She said the public, including residents of the Bishophill area, had already been consulted on plans and that a formal planning application was due to be submitted in the next two weeks.

Oliver House was closed by City of York Council in March, with the intention of it being leased out to provide city centre health and wellbeing facilities.

“We are very busy now trying to raise the £1 million refurbishment costs,” said Miss Portz.

“Our hope is to be open next summer, but that’s dependent on fundraising, building work and archaeologists not finding the body of Richard III under the place.”

Meanwhile, the Priory Street Centre held an open day on Monday to showcase its new facilities following a major refurbishment. Residents and care organisations were invited to the centre to learn about the services run from the venue.

Miss Portz said: “It was to show our refurbished conference facility and just what we have on offer for the people of York.

“We had a very good turn-out and we noticed that a lot of our neighbours came in to talk to us. There was a very broad mix of people.”