Advisors are being appointed to look at the possibility of selling Newfield and the Home has also entered into a consultation with staff about the sad possibility of redundancies should a sale not be possible.
Support for care homes remains lacking and we have repeatedly warned that care home closures would be likely without better support at a national and local level. The NHS, CCG and Council have been aware of this possibility for some time and we have pressed on them the reality of the situation: once these beds are gone they cannot be reopened should the need arise.
It is our hope that, should it come to it, the amazing and hard-working staff will be able to apply for jobs at Westbourne or Northfield homes or find work through Heritage Oaks Healthcare and other agency providers in the city.
All residents except one in Newfield are on a care plan managed by STH and we are working with them to find suitable alternative accommodation should a closure become likely or STH will enable residents to return home with a care package.
The one remaining private resident at Newfield will be offered a transfer to Westbourne or Northfield, those residents that were transferred from Newfield on safety grounds at the start of the pandemic have also been updated on the situation. The situation in Northfield and Westbourne is much more financially secure as both have a broader base of residents.
Nicola Richards, Director of Palms Row Health Care, which runs Newfield commented:
“In many ways Covid-19 has been the straw that broke the camel’s back. Care homes across the country are struggling and our news today is a sad reminder that social care needs urgent support and long-term funding solutions agreed in order to be viable.
“At Northfield and Westbourne homes, Palms Row will continue to provide all of the necessary support to make sure that ongoing care for residents continues to the same high standards that we have provided for many years and we will continue to put pressure on those who make the decisions and those who neglected care homes before and during the crisis.”