Care homes facing closure will remain open until next year

Two Liverpool care homes, which were due to close less than a year after opening, will now remain open until the spring, the council has announced. 

In August, Social Care Today reported that the two care homes – Brushwood and Millvina House – which were commissioned by the council and run by Shaw Healthcare were set to close because of the economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The £8m Brushwood care home opened in October 2019,

It was the first local authority-built care home to open in the city since the early 1990s, while Millvina House opened a month later.

In an update to a meeting of councillors earlier this week, Liverpool City Council mayor Joe Anderson revealed the local authority had reached an agreement with the firm while talks continue to see if another provider can be found.

Shaw Healthcare as the service provider has agreed to remain in place delivering care until spring next year, or until a new provider takes over – whichever is sooner.

The council said it is continuing discussions with a range of interested parties.

Speaking in August, Shaw Healthcare’s chief operating officer, Mike Smith said the COVID-19 pandemic has had a ‘significant impact on the UK and the care industry has been badly affected by this deadly disease’.

But in a statement issued earlier this month, Mr Anderson said he is ‘working really hard with my team to find a solution’.

‘On this basis, I ask families not to look for alternative provision and for staff to stay where they are, while I try to find a solution,’ added the mayor.

Photo Credit – Sabinevanerp (Pixabay)