Care homes in Lochaber and Stornoway on Lewis to close three years after being put up for sale

Two care homes in the Highlands and Outer Hebrides are to close three years after being put up for sale.

HC-One has announced that Moss Park, in Lochaber near Fort William, and Blair Buidhe, in Stornoway, Lewis will close after they failed to find a local operator to take over.

The care provider said they had struggled to build and retain staff to deliver high standards of care at the sites due to their remote locations.

NHS Highland, Highland Council, and Comhairle nan Eilean Siar are now working to find alternative placements for the residents of both homes.

Moss Park currently provides care for up to 39 people while Blar Buidhe has 38 residents.

A spokesperson for HC-One Scotland said: “The decision to close our Moss Park and Blar Buidhe homes has not been taken lightly, and comes after three years of working extensively with our council and NHS partners to find an alternative feasible solution to secure the future of the homes.

“Both Blar Buidhe and Moss Park were among a small number of homes across Scotland that we put up for sale in March 2021. Unfortunately, at Moss Park, we have long struggled to build and retain the full, permanent care teams needed to consistently deliver the high standards of care that our residents deserve.

“Given Blar Buidhe’s remote location, regrettably we are not able to commit the operational support the home needs to flourish long-term. These are challenges affecting the social care sector that have been well documented in recent years across Scotland.

“We understand the impact that this will have on our communities in Lochaber and Stornoway, and regret that, despite our best efforts, we have not been able to find a local operator who would be better suited to support each home.”

Comhairle nan Eilean Siar said work is already under way to secure new placements for residents of Blar Buidhe.

Council leader Paul Steele added: “The Comhairle’s existing resilience and recent investment in the development of care facilities gives some flexibility to allow for a local response to progress.

“While this is positive it will be a challenging process that will rely upon the flexibility of staff and the support of families.”

A spokesperson for the Comhairle nan Eilean Siar health and social care partnership added: “Initial discussions with the Care Inspectorate have been positive, focused on exploring opportunities including utilising the award-winning Bremner Court Housing with Extra Care to support residents and retain the valued Blar Buidhe workforce.

“Now the position of HC-One has been confirmed, dialogue with residents and their families will help inform plans and the Partnership is sensitive to the stress such a decision by a care provider will cause.”

Cllr Steele added: “This closure again demonstrates the fragility of the reliance on commercial care providers in rural areas.

“The existing system enables commercial providers to withdraw services when business models/priorities change, leaving little or no support for Health and Social Care Partnerships and local authorities or other providers to sustain the operation of much-valued care services such as Blar Buidhe.

“Comhairle nan Eilean Siar has alerted Scottish Government to this risk on several occasions and will continue to make the case for real strategic review and systematic change.”

A spokesperson for NHS Highland said: “HC-One have informed NHS Highland that they intend to close their Moss Park care home, a 39-bed nursing care home in Fort William.

“NHS Highland, The Highland Council, and HC-One have been working together to find a solution to support the delivery of high quality and sustainable care in the area. Regrettably, it has not been possible to identify a sustainable solution at this stage.

“We will support residents and staff during this period.

“NHS Highland and The Highland Council will continue to explore options for continuing residential care within the area.”