Wesleyhaven’s fate sealed
The Wesley Community Action board has announced the closure of the Wesleyhaven rest home and hospital in Naenae, citing financial unsustainability.
Residents, families and staff were informed of the closure in a letter on June 20.
The Hutt News reported the proposed closure earlier in June, when Wesley Community Action revealed the home and hospital were losing $25,000 a month.
The letter on June 20 stated: ‘‘Having carefully considered all of the circumstances and the feedback received, the board has now reached a final decision.
‘‘The final decision is, regretfully, that the Strand Rest Home and Wesley Hospital at Wesleyhaven Village are to close by 18th August 2017.’’
Wesley Community Action director David Hanna said the decision was a difficult one to make and he understood the outcome was not what many residents, staff and other stakeholders had wanted.
‘‘It was a really hard decision to make. The board made it with a very heavy heart.’’
Hanna said more than 50 residents would need to be rehomed.
Some residents had already left after the announcement that the board was examining the possibility of closure.
Wesleyhaven said it would assist residents to ‘‘find and move into another suitable home’’.
Though the rest home and hospital will close, about 34 residents would remain in rented villas with the appropriate support. Hanna said the board had been in touch with those in the villas and the residents had put together a list of needs and concerns which would be examined by early July.
A total of 79 staff will also lose their jobs as a result of the closure.