A KIDDERMINSTER care home that faced the threat of closure is to be retained as a specialist dementia care unit.

Worcestershire County Council’s cabinet said The Grange will be remodelled as a long-term residential unit for people living with dementia while retaining five beds for short-term recovery and rehabilitation for acute patients.

Last October, it was revealed that the facility - which currently provides rehabilitation for up to 35 people – faced possible closure as part of a shake-up of services.

But at their cabinet meeting, council chiefs voted in favour of retaining it to help cope with increasing demand for dementia services in the coming years.

But Wyre Forest Labour accused the Tory administration of duplicitous politics and warned The Grange was being left “ripe for privatisation”.

Councillor Adrian Hardman, Cabinet Member with Responsibility for Adult Social Care, said: "The prevalence of dementia is projected to significantly increase in the future by to 40 per cent by 2025.

“At Cabinet, members approved that The Grange will be reconfigured to provide long-term residential care for people living with complex dementia.

"The Grange will retain five beds for short-term recovery care for people discharged from hospital.

“Making these changes at The Grange means that the service will be fit for the future, the site will also be able to expand further as demand for residential dementia care increases in future."

Ward councillor Tracey Onslow said she had conducted a survey of her constituents to gauge their views on the Grange’s future and was inundated with responses to present to cabinet.

She said: “I was extremely pleased to see the recommendations of this report – not only because of the need for dementia care but also it retains the very valued service of The Grange.”

But Stephen Brown, of Wyre Forest Labour, branded the survey leaflets – which were headed ‘Save the Grange Facility’ - as a PR stunt.

He said: “So the Tories opted to keep The Grange open and change its use to show how caring they are and how they too can run a successful ‘Save the Grange’ campaign against their own recommendations. Duplicitous politics at its best.

“We strongly believe they’ll be back to attack The Grange in the future as they place dementia care on the open market, making it ripe for privatisation. Wyre Forest should be very cautious about this apparent good news.”