Unsafe Sheppey care home may never re-open
County council bosses are consulting on closing Blackburn Lodge
A care home on the Isle of Sheppey, closed at the end of last year for safety reasons, may never re-open.
Kent County Council was forced to move 13 residents out of Blackburn Lodge in Sheerness in November after a safety inspection found iron levels in the piped water used for drinking and bathing was 20 times higher than permitted limits.
The authority, which runs the site, is now opening a consultation on permanently closing the building.
The proposal follows an estimation that to bring Blackburn Lodge up to current care home regulator standards would cost ÂŁ4 million, with works taking around 13 months to complete.
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has said Blackburn Lodge would not meet the current standards for registration as a care home if it were to be built today. The building has no en-suite bathrooms, and the general layout makes access poor, and this limits who can stay there.
The county council has said former residents and day care attendees and their families are being contacted directly about the consultation.
Kent County Council Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Public Health, Dan Watkins, said:
“We fully understand the proposal to permanently shut Blackburn Lodge will be upsetting for some of our residents and families.
“It is not an option we put forward lightly but it does follow a stark assessment of the building’s condition, including subsidence and issues with the water supply system, and the considerable cost it will take to fix it.
“This proposal also recognises the number of residents that can be safely cared for at Blackburn Lodge has greatly reduced since it was built in 1982 and the home has not operated at capacity for some years.
“We will be listening to all feedback and thoroughly assessing responses before any final decisions are taken.
“Meanwhile, we continue working with partners, providers and local organisations, including Swale Borough Council and Community Catalysts, to increase care opportunities on the island, as this is required whether or not Blackburn Lodge re-opens.”
Other options considered for the building’s future were trying to re-open the home, or attempting to sell it as a going concern.
The consultation runs to the end of May 7th, with a final decision due to be taken by Kent County Council in July.