City plans specialist autism patients unit

A MULTI-MILLION pound specialist unit is to be built in Edinburgh to cope with the growing number of people with learning disabilities.

The purpose-built facility will replace four ageing day centres in the Capital, and provide respite facilities for autism patients who currently have to travel to the Borders.

More than 50 people and their families will benefit from the move, which will be presented to councillors next week. As well as providing day services such as activities and education in improved surroundings, families who use respite services will no longer have to travel to a facility in Biggar.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The city's health and social care leader, Councillor Paul Edie, described the project as "hugely exciting", adding that staff, patients and carers had all been consulted on the move. He said: "It will be for people with autism, learning disabilities and challenging behaviour, and this is an area that we are going to have to spend more time on in future years as we learn more about it.

"Certainly, more people are being diagnosed who will have been missed before, and those people are living longer, so more people are coming into the system.

"We have a situation now where we have people with learning disabilities in their 60s who are being cared for by their parents in their 80s, so respite is a very important thing."

It was decided to build a new facility at the site of the Pefferbank Day Centre on Duddingston Road West, which would replace that, as well as the units at Glenallan, Ravensbank and Deanbank.

Other alternatives included maintenance work at the current centres, but it was decided to sell them off and put the proceeds into a new building.

Although many service users will be moved, those receiving day care at Longstone, Craighall and Firhill will not be affected.

The single-floor centre will have two entrances, a plant room, kitchen, dining area, lounge and six large bedrooms. A garden area at the current site will be retained, and it is expected around 15 staff will oversee the daycare facilities.

Cllr Edie added: "We have to do this in a very sensitive way because many service users don't like things to change. Planning something like this is not straightforward.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"In this climate it is harder to find the money to do things like this. Capital is pretty thin on the ground but this is important and hugely exciting.

"Planning for the future needs of people in Edinburgh is crucial and we have a duty to make sure that happens."

It is hoped councillors will approve the proposals next week and that the centre will be up and running within four years. Funding is still to be confirmed but around 2 million of the cost is expected to be raised from offloading older properties.