Concern over Kirk’s plan to close Reay care home

Community: Church of Scotland-run centre suffering ‘substantial losses’

Concerns were raised yesterday by health campaigners in Caithness after the Church of Scotland revealed it will be closing a local care home.

The Achvarasdal care home in Reay, about 10 miles west of Thurso, will close down in the coming months. The home is run by CrossReach, an organisation which provides care and support on behalf of the church.

A spokeswoman for the Church of Scotland’s social care council said yesterday that the home would be closing due to “substantial losses” over a number of years, and that they will work with NHS Highland towards a transition to a new model of care for the Thurso area.

There are 10 residents at the home –which has 25 rooms – who will be directly affected. The spokeswoman said that CrossReach staff will work with the health board to ensure the needs of the residents are met to

“This is yet another loss of a local service”

ensure a smooth transition to new accommodation. She also said there are about 30 staff at the home – including one manager on secondment from NHS Highland – working over a variety of grades and hours, but stressed it is too early in the process to give details on any possible job losses.

Ron Gunn, vice- chairman of Caithness Health Action Team, said he was “concerned” by the move in light of being informed during a recent meeting with the health board about the challenges of catering for an ageing population in the county. He said: “On one hand NHS Highland is telling us there is a growing elderly population in Caithness and now a care home is closing. This is yet another loss of a local service.”

Mr Gunn acknowledged the health board’s strategy to provide more care at home, but said he also has concerns that there will not be enough staff available to deliver this effectively.

An NHS Highland spokesman said the board will work with CrossReach to “develop further models of care” in the community.