Troubled Cradlehall Care Home in Inverness to close for refurbishment ahead of being sold
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
An Inverness care home at the centre of serious concerns is to close for refurbishment ahead of being sold.
The Care Inspectorate, the Scottish Government’s regulatory body for the care industry, last week highlighted significant and serious concerns about the quality of care at Cradlehall Care Home.
The purpose-built 50-bed home offers residential, nursing and residential dementia care and care for young people with disabilities.
It was acquired last year by St Philips Care which stepped in after the previous operators HC-One failed to find a buyer.
Care Inspectorate identifies 'serious' concerns at Cradlehall Care Home in Inverness
Inverness care home may have to close
St Philips Care, which has its headquarters in Wolverhampton, has now decided to sell the home.
It has reached an agreement with the Care Inspectorate to voluntarily cancel the service's registration with the Care Inspectorate, and the home is now expected to close on 17 April.
Managing director of St Philips Care, Gary Hartland said: “After extensive consultation with NHS Highlands, we have decided to close Cradlehall for a full refurbishment.
“After this, we shall sell Cradlehall as a turnkey operation to a care provider with a strong local presence.
“We have not undertaken this decision lightly, but after discussions with NHS Highlands, we believe that this will provide residents with the best outcomes for the future.”
The company said since taking on Cradlehall, the complex needs of the residents had been difficult to manage, since the group’s expertise lay predominantly in the residential care sector.
St Philips Care has been working closely with NHS Highlands, to ensure it can meet the needs of the residents.
Tracy Atkins, chief operating officer, at St Philips Care said: “We always hold the happiness and wellbeing of our residents at the heart of all that we do, and are committed to working with NHS Highlands to ensure that we can provide a high standard of care during this transition.”
A spokesperson for the Care Inspectorate said: “ An inspection identified serious and significant concerns about the quality of care experienced by residents at Cradlehall Care Home in Inverness.
“Because of our concerns about the safety and wellbeing of residents we submitted an application to the sheriff court seeking cancellation of the care home’s registration.
"Agreement has now been reached between the care provider and the Care Inspectorate to voluntarily cancel the service's registration with the Care Inspectorate, and the home is now expected to close on 17 April.
“This will allow new care arrangements to be put in place for residents of the home.
“We are working closely with our partners including Highland Health and Social Care Partnership to ensure that residents experience appropriate care that meets their needs during this difficult time."
