HC Deb 06 July 1998 vol 315 c385W
Mr. Kidney

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will strengthen the powers of(a) nursing home inspectors, (b) the Secretary of State and (c) the courts to prevent the precipitate closure of nursing homes by the owner's liquidator or receiver; [48172]

(2) what powers are available to (a) him, (b) nursing home inspectors and (c) the courts to prevent the precipitate closure of nursing homes by the owner's liquidator or receiver; [48171]

(3) if he will intervene in the proposed closure of Abbey Nursing Home, Great Haywood, Stafford. [48173]

Mr. Boateng

[holding answer 30 June 1998]: There are no legal powers to prevent the closure of a nursing home by a liquidator or receiver appointed by a home owner. Independent care homes are private businesses and neither we, nor registration authorities nor the courts have any powers to intervene in a decision by the owner of that business to cease trading.

Care homes can close for a variety of reasons, including emergency closures by a registration authority to protect the health and welfare of residents.

Health and local authorities should have contingency plans, drawn up in consultation with service providers, for dealing with the sudden closure of homes to ensure residents are transferred to suitable accommodation. Health and local authorities have a direct responsibility for making alternative arrangements for anyone they place in a nursing home which subsequently closes.

While the closure of the Abbey Nursing Home in Great Haywood is regrettable, we understand that the health authority and social services staff have moved quickly to find alternative accommodation for all the nursing residents. We understand that 12 of the 13 residents have been found suitable accommodation, and one is in hospital.

We appreciate how traumatic it can be for people in residential care and nursing homes when they have to move out at short notice. We will consider whether arrangements can be strengthened to minimise the anxiety to residents when a home closes, as part of our commitment to reforming the current regulatory arrangements for social services and nursing homes.