Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust provides many services to support, treat and care for people with a learning disability across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland (LLR).
This includes:
- the learning disability short breaks service, which enables eligible family members and carers to have a break from looking after for their loved one
- outpatient support through appointments in community venues and in people’s homes
- the Agnes inpatient Unit, which is a bespoke facility that provides care for adults with learning disabilities and mental health conditions.
We are proposing to move more of these services into the same building, at the Agnes Unit, while keeping the same level of service provision.
The Agnes Unit is a fantastic, modern building with lots of specialist and bespoke facilities. We want to make sure it is used to its full potential to provide short and long term care and help people in the local community.
We want to understand what impact the proposed move may have on people who use the learning disability short breaks service – or who may be eligible to use it in the future.
We are running a public engagement exercise from 8 October to 18 November 2025 to share our proposal and hear feedback.
We want to hear from families who use the learning disability short breaks service or who represent those who are eligible to use the learning disability short breaks service.
Please submit your feedback on the proposals by 6pm on Tuesday 18 November 2025.
How to give your views
Feedback can be submitted through our online feedback form.
Fill out the feedback form
Easy Read paper feedback forms can be picked up from the short breaks service, the Agnes Unit or can be sent to you in the post or by email. Please email lpt.lda@nhs.net to request a copy.
If you have questions, would like more information about the proposals – or would like to book to visit the Agnes Unit, please email lpt.lda@nhs.net .
Please submit your feedback on the proposals by 6pm on Tuesday 18 November 2025.
How will this proposal impact the learning disability short breaks service?
We are not looking to reduce services; we want to enhance them and invest in the future of our services.
As part of the proposals, we want to move the learning disability short breaks service, currently based at the Grange and the Gillivers bungalows on Farm Drive at the Glenfield Hospital site, to the Agnes Unit. This is just a short, five-minute drive away.
The learning disability short breaks service will have its own wing on the unit, with two ward areas – which we call ‘pods’. The Agnes Unit pods will have four beds each, with eight short breaks beds in total. This means there will be the same number of beds that are currently provided at the Grange and Gillivers bungalows.
The pods each have their own communal living and dining rooms and will be kept separate from inpatient and outpatient areas. Existing staff members of the short breaks service will be moved across to the pods, providing continuity for those who use the service.
We believe the proposal will provide a better experience for the people staying with the short breaks service as they will be able to access some of the specialist facilities at the Agnes Unit. Moving the service would enable us to offer:
- each person staying an ensuite shower room (whereas the Grange and the Gillivers have shared washing and toilet facilities)
- carers greater flexibility with booking. As ensuite facilities are available, we will be able to offer mixed-gender stays, subject to risk assessments. This is something we are currently not able to offer due to the washing facilities. This change may also enable siblings or friends who are mixed genders to stay with the short breaks service at the same time
- more flexibility to accommodate emergency or urgent requests (subject to room availability)
- access to bespoke outdoor facilities, including a large, open, enclosed garden, basketball court and sensory garden
- access to the Agnes Unit’s gym, sensory room and therapy suite
- opportunities for service users to grow independence and life skills, through the use of our specialist laundry and cooking facilities
- support from the Agnes Unit’s on-site medical team, if needed. This would be especially beneficial for those with complex medical health needs
- access to the Agnes Unit’s occupational therapy professionals
- other specialist equipment available on the site, such as our state-of-the-art sensory bath
- service users more time with our clinical and healthcare staff, as our estates and facilities team at the Agnes Unit can carry out cleaning and building maintenance.
The Trust will invest in the pods to ensure all visitors have an enjoyable, comfortable and safe stay. This will include:
- adding in new safety measures around the building, where needed
- fitting specialist equipment, such as hoists
- decorating the pods to provide a welcoming environment.
Other resources
- Read our information leaflet about the learning disability short breaks service location move proposal
- Download our Easy Read information leaflet about the learning disability short breaks service location move proposal
- Watch our video explainer about the proposals:
Frequently asked questions
Why are we putting forward these proposals?
Inpatient care and outpatient appointments are already provided at the Agnes Unit – and this will continue.
In recent years, there have been fewer people who have needed inpatient assessment, treatment and support. This is largely due to our work to significantly enhance and improve the care, support and treatment we deliver in the community for people with a learning disability and a mental health condition or behaviours that challenge. This work to enhance community support is ongoing.
The successful community offer has meant the Agnes Unit facilities have been underutilised in recent years. This has provided us with an opportunity to review how the building is used.
It is important that we consider how we make the most of our buildings and facilities to make sure we are providing high quality services that are within our financial means.
While the Grange and Gillivers buildings are fit for purpose, the buildings need a lot of money spending on them to bring them up to the same standard as the facilities at the Agnes Unit.
We also believe that having staff with a variety of expertise and skills in one building will provide a better experience for patients and the people who use our services.