Coronavirus: Two Liverpool dementia care homes face closure

Brushwood in Speke was opened as a joint partnership between Liverpool City Council and Shaw healthcare

Two Liverpool care homes are facing closure less than a year after opening as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Millvina House in Everton and Brushwood in Speke both said they had not had enough residents to remain financially viable.

Operator Shaw Healthcare said coronavirus had led to a national reluctance for families to home elderly relatives.

It meant the homes had suffered "significant and unsustainable losses".

The two dementia care services were opened in October 2019 as the first council-commissioned care homes in the city in more than 25 years.

A total of 132 affected employees and 83 residents will be "fully supported", the city's council said.

Staff have been told a 45-day consultation period will now begin, Shaw Healthcare said.

'Great sadness'

The operator added: "Since the start of the pandemic we have made significant and unsustainable losses brought on by the change in market conditions as a direct result of Covid-19."

A "mutual conclusion" was made between Shaw Healthcare and Liverpool City Council, it added.

Labour councillor Paul Brant said the challenges faced by the services came "with great sadness".

He added: "The vacancies mean we need to consider alternative uses for Millvina House and Brushwood, hopefully within the health sector, where negotiations are already at an early stage.

"Our priority now is the residents and families, and the council has allocated a team of social workers to each home to assist Shaw in supporting them."

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