Company to shut care home

The home, which has a capacity of 41, currently has 27 residents being cared for by 47 staff.

A spokesman for Four Seasons said the company had taken the closure decision “reluctantly”, but stressed that the historic building, built in the late 1800s, is “no longer a suitable environment in which to provide nursing care to modern standards...”

“In reaching this decision we have consulted with the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority and the Northern Health and Social Care Trust and we will work with them to support residents and their families to relocate to suitable alternative accommodation,” he told the Times.

The company has confirmed that residents will be offered a choice of accommodation in other adjacent Four Seasons’ nursing homes - at Abbeylands, Jordanstown and Whiteabbey.

“The wellbeing of the people is our care is paramount throughout this transition process. We will work with families and the RQIA and the Northern Health and Social Care Trust to ensure continuity of clinical care and minimise disruption to their routines as residents transfer to their new care home,” the spokesman added.

The company hasn’t ruled out the possibility of redundancies, but said that staff will have the opportunity to apply for vacancies in its other homes.

It’s understood that staff, residents and their families are due to meet with Four Seasons management this evening (July 1) to discuss their options.

• Read more in this week’s Times (on sale 02/07/14)