Care homes facing the threat of closure after cost-cutting revealed

The future of three care homes in Angus hangs in the balance this Christmas as it emerged closure could be on the cards.

Worried residents and their families face an uncertain time as costsaving measures have been revealed.

Angus Health and Social Care Partnership Integration Joint Board (IJB) sent letters to local families, consulting them on potential plans to cut beds and save cash.

There are 10 options on the table including potential closure of one of the care homes.

A whistleblower has sent copies of the consultation document to us.

In the papers, plans reveal options for three Angus care homes are being considered.

This is so resources can be moved to care at home and “early intervention work”.

The current consultation will gather views on the impact of plans to potentially remove up to 20 beds – to help inform what happens next.

Fears have been raised that where there are fewer than 20 beds in a care home, this could result in its closure.

It’s all to do with changing demand between care homes and care at home.

The IJB – which oversees the Angus Health and Social Care Partnership – tells us there are around 100 vacancies in the care home sector currently.

Conversely, care at home has experienced a growth of 3,000 hours per week during the pandemic and is struggling to provide for this growth in demand.

To support that increase, the board says they need to look differently at how things are delivered.

If plans were passed, the following care homes could be affected:

Beech Hill care home in Forfar; Kinloch care home in Carnoustie; and Seaton Grove care home in Arbroath

Several options have been put forward and a consultation is under way.

The Forfar and Carnoustie homes have faced the threat of closure previously – but won a reprieve in 2019.

There are 10 options on the table – our whistleblower was shocked by the options which may see the closure of a care home if taken forward and include:

Removal of 16 beds at Beech Hill – which would represent all of the beds in this setting;

Removal of 16 beds at

Kinloch care home. Again, this represents all of the beds in the facility;

Reducing the number of beds at Seaton Grove by 18;

Taking eight beds away at Beech Hill only;

Taking eight beds away at Kinloch only;

Taking 10 beds away at Seaton Grove only;

Taking eight beds away at Beech Hill and eight beds from Kinloch;

Taking eight beds away from Beech Hill and 10 away from Seaton Grove;

Taking eight beds away from Kinloch and 10 away at Seaton Grove;

Taking away some of the beds at each of the three facilities.

The IJB is keen to point out a final decision is yet to be made.

Residents affected by any change would have a review of their care needs, involving family members or guardians. And this would inform their future planning and any change of living situation.

All staffing changes would be managed through the council’s Managing Workforce Change policy. Compulsory redundancies are not expected.

The IJB says all the options they are considering have been sent to “stakeholders”. And a report will go to a special meeting in late January next year.

They add: “The IJB agreed that up to 20 beds be decommissioned from the in-house care home sector and that funding be transferred to care at home and preventative work.

“The matter is currently the subject of a consultation and options appraisal, due to conclude on January 7 2022. No options have been ruled in or ruled out at this stage.”

CONCERNS: Care home residents and families face an uncertain future with three care homes in Angus potentially cutting back on facilities.