Easter Ross care home provider pledge after devastating closure news
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THE care home operator has pledged to support residents and staff after making "the incredibly difficult decision" to signal closure of its Easter Ross facility.
NHS Highland and Highland Council revealed earlier this week they had been informed by provider HC-One that they intend to close Castle Gardens care home in Invergordon.
There are currently 35 residents in the care home.
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The company told the Ross-shire Journal: "Our priority is always the health, safety and wellbeing of every individual that we support, and we pride ourselves on delivering high-quality, kind care. As such, we regularly assess the quality and suitability of the service we provide in our homes.
“For some time now at Castle Gardens, and in common with social care providers across the country, we have struggled to build and retain the full, permanent care team needed to consistently deliver our high standards of care that our residents rightly deserve.
“We fully understand how vital Castle Gardens is to the local community. As such, we have sought to find a suitable new local care operator who can provide the targeted and intensive support the home needs to move forward positively.
“Unfortunately, despite our best efforts, we have not been able to find a solution to the challenges faced by this home, and we have had to consider how this situation is impacting our residents, colleagues, and the future of the care we are able to provide. We have therefore had to make the incredibly difficult decision to begin the closure process at Castle Gardens.
“We have done everything possible to avoid having to reach this conclusion, but have sadly exhausted all other viable alternatives for this home. We understand how upsetting this news will be for our residents, their loved ones, and our colleagues as well as the wider community we have been proud to serve.
“Our focus now is on supporting our residents and their loved ones to move to a new care placement that meets their needs, and on supporting our Colleagues through the closure process. We’ll be working closely with our partners at NHS Highland and the Highland Council throughout this process and we are grateful for their support.”
Asked about the timetable for closure, the company said: "While we have very sadly had to announce our intention to close the home, there is no set date for closure as yet. We will begin the closure process, working closely with our NHS Highland partners, our residents and their families and our colleagues to ensure that the process is as smooth as possible."
It confirmed residents and their relatives been informed.
Asked about the staffing situation, it said: "There are 48 colleagues at the home, and we will work jointly with other partners in health and social care to support them to move to alternative employment opportunities."
NHS Highland earlier stated: "During this time, we will work jointly with HC-One and the residents, their families and staff to ensure a smooth and managed closure of the home. Liaison social workers have been appointed and the priority for NHS Highland will be to work with residents and their families to move the residents into new homes."
Pamela Cremin, NHS Highland’s interim chief officer, said: “We know this is a worrying time for the residents and their families. The priority of NHS Highland and the Highland Council is to support residents to move to a new care home as soon as possible.
“We will remain in close contact with residents and their relatives to ensure they are supported as this work continues to progress.”
Chair of Highland Council’s health, social care & wellbeing committee, Councillor David Fraser, said: “We recognise that today’s announcement regarding Castle Gardens care home will result in a great deal of uncertainty for the home’s residents, their relatives and the staff. However, Highland Council is actively working alongside NHS Highland to support the transition to alternative care arrangements for those affected.”
Are you affected? Do you have a view about how future provision can be guaranteed? Email us at newsdesk@hnmedia.co.uk
