ANDOVER'S Copper Beeches residential home is to be one of seven such establishments in Hampshire to convert some of its residential beds to intermediate care beds in a bid to reduce hospital bed- blocking.

The £1 million project, which is being developed jointly by social services and health service with funding from the Government, will see up to 48 beds converted to short stay high dependency and intermediate care beds across the county. The changes will assist older people to move out of hospital sooner, and into the new beds for short-term intensive rehabilitation and treatment of up to six weeks, following which they will move back to their own home.

The service will also help those people who live in their own home, but who may need a period of intensive care and support from health professionals in a residential home, after which they can move back home.

Copper Beeches will provide ten beds for people with physical frailty from the Winchester and Andover areas, at a cost of £55,000.

Completion of the work is expected by the end of 2002.

Electric beds and other specialist equipment will also be installed to assist in moving and handling residents at a cost of £14,000.

Cllr Hindson, the Hamp-shire County Council executive member who approved the move, said: "I am delighted that in partnership with our health colleagues, we can extend our in-house facilities to offer people intensive high dependency care in some of our social services homes.

"This initiative is particularly welcome as it will reduce delayed hospital discharges both by preventing unnecessary hospital admissions as well as helping other people out of hospital sooner.

"This investment in social services homes will also complement plans to build 500 nursing home beds attached to county council residential homes and on NHS land, and will ensure the increasing care needs of Hampshire's older residents are well catered for."

Contractors and home staff will work hard to ensure there is minimal disruption to residents while work is in progress at the homes, says the council.