Blairgowrie nursing home faces closure

28 residents will be forced to move to alternative accommodation

A Perthshire nursing home faces the axe in a move which would force out 28 elderly and disabled residents.

Four Seasons Health Care, one of the UK’s largest care home providers, has confirmed it is considering the closure of its loss-making Rosemount facility in Blairgowrie.

The company has launched a consultation with staff and the Perth Road care home could be closed by early May with its 28 residents – including people living with dementia – forced to find new accommodation.

Rosemount care home has 24 fulltime staff, 14 part-time staff and one bank worker.

Regional manager John Kirk said: “The proposal to cease operating the home has not been arrived at easily, but we think it is unavoidable based on a combination of factors.

“The main one is that the home has been operating at a loss for some time and this has been getting worse.”

He said: “Its occupancy of 28 residents is only a little more than half its capacity of 52. There is little chance of this improving in the foreseeable future as local care home availability exceeds demand for places, with eight other homes within close proximity.”

Mr Kirk said: “The home is a leasehold premises and at an age when it would require refurbishment and modernisation to continue to meet future expectations of a modern care home, but the significant investment that would be required is not viable in the current marketing conditions.”

He added: “The wellbeing of the people living in the home is our priority and we will work closely with Perth and Kinross Council’s social services team to ensure that the residents and their families are supported to find suitable alternative placements.”

Mr Kirk said he hoped the residents would chose to move to other Four Seasons establishments in the area, but stressed they would be free to decide themselves.

“Rosemount will continue to provide care while we allow plenty of time for the most appropriate arrangements to be made for all residents and we will do everything we can to ensure there is no disruption to their care during the transition,” he said.

Local councillor Caroline Shiers said people at the home faced a worrying time. “This is very sad news and will be concerning for residents and their families,” she said, adding: “I also have concern for all the staff employed there.”

She said: “I will contact council officers to ask what support will be given to assist people in finding alternative care provision for their relatives.”