Shocked families were given just 48 hours to make new arrangements for their loved ones after Forfar care home bosses dropped the bombshell the premises was to close.
But one resident at now liquidated Lochbank said many of the carers there had been “wonderful” during their time there.
Staffing concerns were one of the key factors in a Care Inspectorate improvement notice being served on the 35-bed home after a damning inspection in April.
Its operator, Kennedy Care Group, was warned the home could be closed down if things did not improve.
And last week the doors were shut after the watchdog cancelled Lochbank’s registration.
The home has been put into liquidation and is expected to be offered for sale.
Kennedy Care’s other homes in Tayside, Fife and Aberdeenshire are unaffected and operating as normal.
The company spoke of its “profound sadness” over the turn of events at the Forfar home.
Some Lochbank residents and staff have been moved to other locations within the group.
Family’s shock at speed of closure
One family revealed the shock and upset around the situation.
A former resident said: “It was a sudden thing. They had families come up on the Monday and told them they would be closing on Wednesday.
“They did help people, but some had their own furniture and things like that to sort out.”
Their thoughts on their time at Lochbank echoed the concerns of care inspectors.
The inspection report on the April visit labelled the staff team “unsatisfactory”.
But the resident defended the work of many.
“The girls were really helpful, the local staff were actually wonderful,” they said.
“But there was a lot of agency staff and they weren’t consistent and didn’t know the residents.”
The resident’s family said company director Tom Dailey’s confirmation of Lochbank’s closure was unexpected, despite the well-documented issues over many months.
“We had been told they planned to go through the appeal process,” they said.
“But we were then told on Monday afternoon the registration was ending at midnight on Wednesday.
“It was bizarre.”
Health body’s pledge over care home residents
Angus Health and Social Care Partnership said: “Despite intensive support from the Care Inspectorate and AHSCP since September 2023, due to serious concerns identified during a large-scale investigation, the level of improvements required were not met.
“Angus Health and Social Care Partnership (AHSCP) worked with residents and their families to find suitable accommodation either in the interim or permanently.
“The safety and well-being of all care home residents remains of paramount importance and AHSCP are committed to doing everything in their power to ensure they receive the highest standard of care.”
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