Extensive support is being put in place to ensure the care and safety of residents at the Corrin Memorial Home in Peel, as operators of the privately-run facility prepare to wind down and close the home next month.
A team from Manx Care and the Department of Health and Social Care is assisting residents and their families to find places in residential care elsewhere, and offering support for their move. The process involves an assessment of each resident’s individual needs, to ensure the most appropriate next home is chosen, and that a safe, swift and dignified transfer is arranged for everyone.
The trustees and directors of Corrin Memorial Home are clear that the operating company is not financially viable and will be stepping down as Directors as at the end of July. They have also advised that there are increasing challenges in the operation the facility.
The DHSC has concluded that in protecting the safety and wellbeing of residents there is an urgent need to complete all assessment of needs and transfer residents to other facilities.
Senior DHSC officers have held regular meetings with the trustees and directors to seek to resolve a number of issues, and options to keep the home operating in the short term have been fully explored. However, all parties agree the current operation is unsustainable and therefore the directors have confirmed they will now take steps to close the enterprise by 19 July.
Minister for Health and Social Care David Ashford said:
‘This situation is regrettable, but having reviewed the Corrin Home’s recent financial position and outlook, it is clear the operation is not financially viable and that closure is inevitable in the current circumstances. This needs to be progressed immediately.
‘Government’s primary concern is for the safety and welfare of the residents, as this is their home. Recent uncertainty has been unsettling for residents, relatives and staff, but there is now a clear course of action. Our officers and social care professionals are providing assistance to families as they choose a new home for their loved ones. The team is carrying out urgent assessments of each person’s care needs, an essential first step in arranging their transfer to new facilities.
The Minister added:
‘Every effort has been made to meet the aspiration of Tynwald - that a minimum six months’ notice is given to residents, to avoid the very situation we are in. However, as the operating company cannot in practice continue beyond July at the latest, our focus must now be on helping to manage that process and ensure the welfare of residents.’
Residents and their families have been informed of the current situation and the steps which will now be taken, in the residents’ best interests.
Corrin Memorial Home has been an important and valued facility in the west of the Island for many years, and in the longer term it is hoped the site can be utilised for provision of health and care facilities for the benefit of the local community.
