Shock at care home closure
ACOUNTY Durham residential care home is to close in less than month, leaving residents just weeks to find a new place to live.
Thirty-eight residents and their families and 63 staff were told late last week of the news, with the company that operates the home citing “rising operating costs” as the key factor leading to the closure.
Restructuring experts FRP have been brought in to oversee an “orderly wind-down” – which means staff will be out of jobs and residents need to find new homes.
Helen Morson, whose mum Marjory Edwards, 90, moved in to the Grade-II listed Shotley Park home in December 2022, said the news came as a huge shock.
She said: “I was told I had 28 days to find my mother somewhere else.
“It’s a shock to everyone. My mum has only been in there since December. Now we have to find somewhere else for her again. Lots of homes don’t have any places. Everywhere has got waiting lists. It’s just been a massive shock.”
Helen added that with pressures on care homes in the area she was concerned that the only options could be places outside of the local area or the county as a whole.
She said she was also particularly concerned about the impact on those with dementia or without family support.
In a statement shared by FRP, it is stated that the company directors – aged in their 80s and 90s themselves – had provided “additional capital” to keep the care home open as they sought to sell up, but that now the firm is “unable to continue to meet its financial obligations”.
Martyn Pullin, restructuring professional at FRP, said: “The directors have put in a tremendous effort to keep the home open over the years.
“Unfortunately, the pressures on Shotley Park’s finances have become too great and unsustainable and the business simply can’t continue trading any further.
“We understand that this will be a difficult time for residents and their loved ones, but also the dedicated staff at Shotley.
“We are working closely with the relevant authorities to ensure a smooth transition to new care and orderly conclusion.”
Durham County Council’s Neil Jarvis, a senior commissioning delivery manager, said: “We were sorry to be informed of the planned closure of Shotley Park Care Home and appreciate this is a distressing time for all concerned.
“We have taken some immediate steps to support residents and staff. Our social care and commissioning teams have begun working to ensure residents are offered alternative accommodation if they need it and our Care Academy will also be supporting affected staff who wish to seek employment elsewhere in the sector.”