Sheffield care company blames Government underfunding for home closure

A Sheffield care provider say underfunding and a lack of qualified staff left them with no choice but to close one of his homes.
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Fulwood Lodge nursing home in Ranmoor – which is operated by the Sheffield-based care company Silver Healthcare – will close with the loss of 38 full and part time jobs and 40 residential beds.

Managing director Roy Young reassured relatives that the re-location of all residents was his top priority, and said he was working closely with social services and the NHS on the transition.

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Fulwood Lodge nursing home in Ranmoor.Fulwood Lodge nursing home in Ranmoor.
Fulwood Lodge nursing home in Ranmoor.
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Mr Young said the decision had been the hardest he had made in 30 years in care, but like many of the 100 plus care homes which closed across the UK last year, its future had become unsustainable.

He said: “Central Government’s underfunding of the care sector has been a highly publicized issue for many years. Care providers have had to deal with increasing expenditures year on year, making the future of many homes unmanageable.

Care homes in Sheffield are without doubt underfunded when compared to other areas in the country. There are major differentials in fee levels from area to area and city to city. It is very difficult to understand, and confusing, why such significant differences should exist.

“The shortfall in fees can be very substantial with the difference in fee levels running into well over six figures a year per home – this fact alone highlights very strongly that we’re not competing on a level playing field.”

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Silver Healthcare confirmed that any vacant positions at their other two homes will be offered to Fulwood Lodge staff as a priority, adding they were working closely with the job centre to assist all staff members find new positions as quickly as possible.

The company also said staff would be provided with further support in the shape of a CV writing service, assistance in finding new roles within in the area, benefits advice and job references, and said redundancy payments would be made to all qualifying staff.

The company's two other homes, Rosebank and Leahyrst, which specialise in dementia care but do not require registered nurses, are unaffected by the closure.