COUNCIL chiefs and a care provider have pledged to find alternative accommodation for care home residents when the facility closes in the New Year.

The Maria Mallaband Care Group (MMCG) has announced the 62-bed Minster Grange Care Home will close on Friday, January 12 as the building has been sold to a provider of specialist mental healthcare services.

When news of the closure broke last Thursday, a relative of one of the residents told the Press: “What timing! Staff have only a few weeks to find a new job and have this hanging over them at Christmas.

“Residents don't know where they will live. It is unlikely that York has sufficient places for all these vulnerable elderly people meaning that many may have to be housed a long way away from friends and family.”

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The relative added: “I think it is HIGHLY unlikely that my relative, and many others will access a place in York.”

MMCG, which has run the home since January 2020, says the home, which provides residential and nursing care for both younger people and those living with dementia, already shares part of the building with Schoen Clinic York, part of the Schoen Clinic UK Group.

Schoen has occupied the ground floor since Spring 2021 and following talks with the company, MMCH has decided to close the elderly service at Minster Grange so Schoen Clinic York can expand its service offering.

Paul Walsh, Chief Operating Officer of MMCG, said: “This step will take place from December 6, 2023.”

He continued: “Those living in the home and team members will be given the opportunity to relocate to one of MMCG’s nearby homes, ensuring continuity of care and a smooth transition process wherever possible. There are five other MMCG group homes within a 20-mile radius. 

“For MMCG, our primary focus now is to support those living and working at Minster Grange and their families during this process. We will be providing every assistance to ensure a smooth transition whilst maintaining the high standards of care they deserve." 

Andy Davey, managing director of Schoen Clinic UK Group, said acquiring Minster Grange would help it meet the “rapidly growing” need for its services, including inpatient bed capacity.

The Press approached City of York Council for comment, receiving a response from “senior leaders from City of York and North Yorkshire Councils and the Local Integrated Care Board".

Their joint-statement said: “We are committed to ensuring that care homes across the city are safe and well-run and that all residents in them receive good quality care.

“We have been working collectively with the Care Quality Commission to support Minster Grange to address key areas of concern including workforce and leadership.

“We are in regular contact with the care home and staff. We are already working with residents and their families to make sure they know what is happening and are involved in the plans for alternative accommodation which meets their needs.”

The statement added: “We know that this is a worrying time for both families and residents. No one will be left without suitable accommodation, and we are already working at pace to identify and secure new homes for affected residents.”

Earlier this year, Minster Grange was slammed by the Care Quality Commission for a lack of staffing and told it ‘requires improvement.’

Inspectors visited the premises in April and May when it was caring for 41 people.

The watchdog gave the service the rating of ‘inadequate’ for safety, meaning it felt people were not safe and were at risk of avoidable harm.

The CQC also awarded the ‘requires improvement’ rating to the categories of whether the service was effective, responsive and well-led.

Following feedback from the CQC and new admissions to the service, the provider increased staffing levels and told the watchdog it would recalculate the appropriate staffing levels and carry out observations to see how staff were deployed and whether the levels were sufficient.