We were proud to welcome Professor Claire Fuller, CEO of Surrey Heartlands ICS; the Mayoress of Reigate & Banstead, Mrs Anne Kelly; and Nicholas Owen, journalist, broadcaster and local resident, to the opening of our flagship new supported living service in Horley.
The new service will provide six much-needed homes for local people with learning disabilities or autistic people. Each person will have their own flat with a kitchen/living room, bathroom and bedroom, as well as access to a communal living room, kitchen and conservatory, with disability adaptations bespoke to individual needs. Three of the flats have their own private garden and patio area. Two tenants have moved in already, with the remaining flats due to be occupied by the end of November.
The new service is the latest that we have developed for people who have previously been in long-term hospital or institutional settings. Over the last four years Active Prospects has helped nearly 50 people to move from hospitals into their own homes, with a longer-term tenancy success rate of over 94% and significant improvements in health and wellbeing. People have their rights protected and are able to choose and create the lives they wish to have.
The new development in Horley has been made possible by investment of £2.4 million NHS capital funding. Active Prospects has worked with system partners in health and social care, and Marcon Construction and AHP Architects, to manage the design and delivery of this high-quality scheme.
Maria Mills, Chief Executive of Active Prospects, said: “We are delighted to open this fantastic new service in Horley, and we’re hugely grateful for financial support we’ve received from the NHS. This is a great example of different parts of the system such as Surrey Heartlands ICS, Surrey County Council and Active Prospects coming together to make a positive difference to people’s quality of life. There are still too many people with learning disabilities and autistic people who are stuck in hospital settings – but our new service shows that where providers, health services and local authorities work together, great things can be achieved, and we can see people thrive.”
