Residents of 'risk of harm' care home forced to move

Residents at Holmewood Residential Care Home are being moved out before the Easter weekend

A care home where residents were found to be at "significant risk of harm" by a health watchdog is shutting down.

Residents at Holmewood Residential Care Home, in Cockermouth, Cumbria, are being moved out to alternative homes, while staff are being made redundant.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) found "serious safety concerns" when inspectors visited in August 2023, and rated the home inadequate.

Company Kroll, which has been administrator for the home for the last 18 months, said it was unable to secure a sale of the care home.

Julie Wilby, director at Kroll, said the decision to close the home, which could accommodate up to 26 residents, had been "difficult".

She said: "We are working closely with staff, families, and the local authorities to transfer residents to suitable alternative care homes before the Easter weekend."

She said the needs of the residents and their families, such as the preferred location of their new homes, had been taken into account.

Up for sale

Ms Wilby added that the company was supporting staff to find new work, where possible.

"We continue to express our gratitude for the level of care, hard work and dedication shown by everyone involved during this difficult process," she said.

The property is expected to be put up for sale once the process is over.

When the inadequate rating was handed to the home by the CQC, the administrators acknowledged "some shortfalls" but disputed many of the watchdog's findings.

Karen Knapton, CQC deputy director of operations in the north, said at the time that they had found "incredibly serious safety concerns" that needed to be addressed to prevent people from being harmed.

She said: "It was concerning to see that people’s health conditions and end of life care wasn’t being managed properly.

"We had to request a GP visit for four people during the inspection, as staff were unaware people needed urgent help, which is unacceptable."

At the time, Kroll said they felt they had "sufficiently addressed" the relevant concerns raised by the CQC, and that they were disappointed the watchdog had not formally acknowledge their complaints.