The operator of a Nottinghamshire care home has pulled out, leaving the future of its residents and staff uncertain. Methodist Homes (MHA) has decided to withdraw from Queenswood Residential Care Home, between Chilwell and Beeston, as it can no longer "support" the Cliffgrove Avenue site.
Queenswood, which can house up to 41 elderly residents for long-term or respite care, will operate as normal until a new buyer can be found. But if a new operator is not sourced, MHA, a charity set up 80 years ago by Methodists, said it " can’t rule out" the possibility of closure.
In a blog post, chief executive Sam Monaghan outlined the details of the change - which comes as part of the operator's withdrawal for nine other of the 88 care homes the charity operates across the country - and how it will impact residents and staff. He said: "When a buyer is found, the new owner will take responsibility for the home, including residents and colleagues.
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"If, however, in the unfortunate situation that a buyer can't be secured, I can’t rule out the possibility of some closures. If we find ourselves having to close any care homes, we will support residents and their families to find new homes and affected staff to find new roles inside MHA, if there are any suitable opportunities and people want to stay with us or help them to find a new job elsewhere."
Other care homes affected in the UK include Herondale/Kingfisher in Birmingham, Engelberg in Wolverhampton and Allesley Hall in Coventry. MHA has also placed Auchlochan Garden Village, a retirement village in Scotland, into administration.
Queenswood has been open since 1975. It offers residents landscaped and sensory gardens with a patio area, regular trips for residents, as well as a hair salon.
The home was last inspected by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) on January 13, 2022. It was given an overall rating of 'good'.
Inspectors found the staff to be caring and well-liked by residents. The home was clean and tidy and those working there received regular training to carry out their duties.
The report said: "People were supported by staff who understood their needs and supported them with making decisions about their care. People’s diverse needs were respected including promoting people’s access to religious and spiritual guidance. People were encouraged to lead as independent a life as possible."
Detailing the reasons for the changes, Mr Monaghan added: "The review we started in 2019 and then paused because of the pandemic, looked into the long-term sustainability of our services.
"This included looking at the location and size of our care homes and retirement living schemes, their proximity to other services for older people, their financial viability, the quality of our buildings, and their fit with emerging trends regarding the types of care and support that older people will want in the future.
As a result of the review, we identified the real challenges for MHA in ensuring the ongoing sustainability of the 10 homes and Auchlochan and that MHA could no longer support these."
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