ELDERLY residents challenged the health secretary on the closure of beds at their Westhoughton care home.

They held Jeremy Hunt to account during a visit to the Winifred Kettle Community Care Centre yesterday.

Residents fought hard against plans to scrap the home’s 24 intermediate care beds and took the opportunity to question Mr Hunt.

Clare Watkinson, aged 94, said: “It is such a shame that is being closed. I remember Winifred Kettle. She was a feisty person and if she knew how they are destroying it, she would turn in her grave.

“Why pick on in a little place like this? It’s lovely and efficient, and now this is happening.”

Mr Hunt, who was in the North West for the Heywood and Middleton by-election, replied: “I do know it’s very difficult for everyone at the moment because there is a lot of pressure.”

A member of staff added: “We love working here and we think it’s a terrible shame it’s closing.”

When asked what he thought about the closure, Mr Hunt said: “I think it really depends on what the alternative is.

“I think they have very good provision here but I understand sometimes you need to change the way services are delivered.

“What is really important is that the council make sure there is a good alternative to those intermediate care beds. Homed-based care in particular needs to be very high quality.

“I understand people’s concern that what replaces it won’t be as good as what they have here.”

Mr Hunt went on to defend the shift of hospital and intermediate care into people’s homes.

He said the Better Care Fund — a pooled budget arrangement between the council and NHS organisations — was a “significant increase” for the area and that hospital funding had increased.

The Better Care Fund will mean a cut of about £7.6 million in the Royal Bolton Hospital’s budget to create a £4 million investment community-based services.

“It’s a very big boost for out of hospital care,” he added. “I think in most parts of the NHS if their their budget was doubled, they would say that’s a significant increase.”

Winifred Kettle’s intermediate care beds will be replaced with a new day centre. Chris Green, conservative parliamentary candidate for Bolton West, invited Mr Hunt to the home.

Mr Green said: “It is important the health secretary comes to the west of Bolton to hear people’s concerns about their health services.”