A FURTHER two care homes in north Wales are reportedly set to close - with the combined loss of a further 91 beds.

Both the 54-bed Morfa Newydd Care Home in Greenfield in Flintshire and the Gwastad Hall Care Home in Cefn-y-Bedd near Wrexham, that’s registered for 37 residents, have gone into administration.

It’s understood that the staff in both homes have been given four weeks’ notice and that the owners have been working with Flintshire and Wrexham councils to find alternative accommodation for residents.

In the past few weeks it’s already been revealed that the 16-bed Bay Court Care Home in Kinmel Bay and the 28-bed Trewythen Hall Care Home in Gresford have closed.

Mario Kreft MBE, the chair of Care Forum Wales, said the sector was suffering because of a triple whammy of “irresponsibly low fees”, dire staff shortages and bureaucratic red tape.

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Mr Kreft said: “The need for care home beds has never been greater because our hospitals, like the Maelor in Wrexham, are at breaking point because of so-called bed-blocking with patients unable to be discharged after their medical treatment has been completed.

“As a result, there are very few hospital beds available for incoming patients, many of whom have to endure being kept in ambulances outside or on trolleys for hours on end.

“The way the sector is being treated by many councils and health boards is unforgivable, particularly after providers and their heroic front line staff responded magnificently to the unprecedented challenges caused by the pandemic.

“The people who are being caught up in the eye of this perfect storm are vulnerable people, many of them with dementia, who deserve better.

“Every time a care home closes it is an absolute disaster for the residents, their loved ones and the staff and my thoughts are with them at this incredibly difficult time.”

Mr Kreft added that the whole of the social care sector has been 'put well and truly through the mill' in recent years.

The Leader:

PIC: Mario Kreft.

He added: "Care homes in Wales were already struggling badly well before the onset of the pandemic. The sector is being starved of resources due to shamefully low fees and are also having to contend with the related problem of dire staff shortages, so it is a real battle for survival for everybody.

“Local authorities and health boards in Wales need to fulfill their statutory responsibilities and pay fees that reflect the true cost of care instead a random amount that doesn’t come close to plugging the gap that’s pushing care homes closer and closer to the financial brink.

“All of this is happening against the difficult backdrop of the cost of living crisis. Care homes are important community assets but once they are gone, they are lost forever and that will put even more pressure on the NHS that’s already in crisis.

“The cost of trying to replace these beds is incredibly high – around £150,000 a time so plugging the gap after the loss of 163 beds would cost an eye-watering £25 million.

“The frightening thing is that so many other community care homes are teetering on the financial brink so unfortunately we should be bracing ourselves for even more closures.

“That in turn is going to put our hospitals under even more intolerable pressure. The truth is that you cannot fix the NHS without proper funding for social care that means they receive fees that reflect the true cost of providing care and enable providers to pay their wonderful staff what they are really worth."

Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB), which provides support with patient care at both sites, confirmed that they will soon close.

Andrea Hughes, BCUHB's East Director Of Nursing, said: “We wholeheartedly sympathise with those residents and families affected by the closure of the care homes. 

"We know this will be extremely distressing and we are working very closely with our local authority partners to arrange appropriate, alternative homes which can meet the needs of residents under our care as soon as possible."

A spokesperson for Wrexham Council added: “This will be an anxious time for many people, and we will work closely with the families affected to help them find suitable accommodation elsewhere for their relatives.

“We’ll also continue to work closely with the health board and other key partners to try and mitigate the impact of ongoing winter pressures on local health and care services.”

“We’re committed to supporting the care sector across the county. Care fees are set yearly using the North Wales Care Fees tool.”

Flintshire County’s Council’s Chief Officer Social Services, Neil Ayling said: “We have been informed by the care provider, MN Opco Limited, that they are closing the home (Morfa Newydd) and working towards a closure date of February 27, 2023. 

"The Council is working closely with our Health Board colleagues to arrange the safe transfer of individual from Morfa Newydd Nursing Home to other appropriate care homes in the area who can meet the needs of individuals and their families”.