The fate of an Aberdeenshire care home is to be decided this week.
Westbank Care Home in Oldmeldrum could be shut in a cost saving measure being considered this Friday.
The home, based in the village’s Lower Cowgate, houses up to 33 residents.
It’s closure is on the agenda for the meeting between Aberdeenshire Council and NHS Grampian (IJB) on June 28.
The IJB has been recommended to close the facility in a bid to “rationalise the number of residential care facilities for older people.”
The initiative is part of an effort to achieve £12.5 million of savings to plug a funding gap in the council’s revenue budget.
The report points to a number of challenges faced in keeping the care home open – including pricey upkeep bills and staffing issues.
Works totaling over £500,000 have been completed since 2019, with the costs of keeping it open labelled “unsustainable”.
Oldmeldrum care home in recruitment difficulties
The facility has also had problems keeping a full roster of staff.
“The second key challenge relates to staffing,” the report said.
“Westbank is registered with the Care Inspectorate to provide care for up to 33 older people, and at the time of writing has 25 residents, due to challenges with staffing.
“Difficulties in recruitment and retention of staff have been long-term, emerging during the Covid-19 pandemic and these have been compounded in subsequent years
due to various factors, with agency use increasing.
“The home is unable to operate at full capacity due to staffing challenges. Repeated attempts have been made to support recruitment, including open days.
“It must be reiterated that all of the staff at Westbank are highly valued and the outcome of this Options Appraisal is in no way a reflection on their hard work, care, and
dedication.”
‘No consultation’ on Westbank Care Home closure with wider public
Local councillors and MSPs are set to speak at Friday’s meeting to voice resident’s concerns about the closure.
Councillor Derek Ritchie said that there had been “no consultation with local elected members” regarding the closure.
Speaking in an online post, he said: “I have been besieged with correspondence from deeply concerned residents, the proposed closure will be decided on Friday by the IJB Board.
“There has been NO consultation with local elected members or the wider public. The closure would be a hammer blow to the residents, their families and indeed the staff. I am due to address the meeting on Friday.
“I wish to relay some of the hurt and anxiety that this abysmal lack of communication has caused.
“The value of Westbank Care Home to Oldmeldrum and the greater community must be realised.”
A spokesperson from Aberdeenshire Health and Socal Care Partnership said: “As set out at the IJB budget meeting in March 2024, the AHSCP is required to make over £20m of savings this financial year.
“As part of that savings package we undertook a robust Options Appraisal to look at our in-house provision of Care Homes. The outcome of the Options Appraisal is that Westbank Care Home will be recommended for closure.
“This is in no way a reflection on the dedication and professionalism of the staff at the home who provide great, person centred care.”
Conversation