Owl says: The tip of a very big iceberg … with the Titanic speeding towards it.
“Devastated residents and families of those living at a care home which is under threat of closure fear it could result in the deaths of those who are very old and vulnerable.
Long-established Abbeyfield Shandford in Budleigh Salterton provides nursing and personal care for 28 people, and of those five are aged 100 or over. It employs 35 staff.
In January it first announced it was reviewing the service and then stated it would continue to be provided.
However, in September it began a consultation into the future of the home which will run until November.
Abbeyfield Society, who own the home, have said it will carefully consider all submissions from residents, relatives and staff before a final decision is made.
It has confirmed if a decision is made to close the home in Station Road, no residents will be expected to leave until January 2020 at the earliest.
The consultation has resulted in a petition being launched which has already been signed by hundreds of local residents. …
… “Abbeyfield have made out it’s a failing care home and needs huge upgrading and expenditure, but it doesn’t. The last inspection by the Care Quality Commission was this year and it was rated good.” …
[Abbeyfield spokesperson said] “In the case of Shandford, we carefully considered a number of factors, including whether the increasingly complex needs of residents can continue to be well served in a building which requires significant renovations to bring in it line with best-practice standards. …
“”This situation is further compounded by the long-term recruitment challenges we have faced, meaning that we have often relied on agency staff – despite the best efforts of the local management team. This not only places significant further financial pressures on the home at a time when the wider funding of social care is under strain, but also means we cannot always provide the continuity of care that residents deserve. …”
https://www.devonlive.com/news/devon-news/deaths-feared-care-home-closed-3438701
East Devon Watch 