Northampton care home closure gives residents' families four weeks to find new accommodation

A Northampton care home is closing, leaving the families of its residents four weeks to find new placements for their loved ones.

Argyle House nursing and residential home broke the news to family members in a letter on Tuesday (March 3), blaming a lack of funds for the closure.

The letter from Maria Mallaband Care Group operations director Vicky Craddock formally serves four weeks' notice to terminate the resident's stay.

A spokesperson for Argyle House said: "It is with deep regret that we have taken the difficult decision to not continue to provide a care service at Argyle House

"As we all know both commissioners and providers of social care face significant challenges at present.

"We have, unfortunately, reached a stage at Argyle House where we are unable to continue because of current market challenges, despite the best efforts of the team at Argyle.

"We understand that residents and relatives will be concerned and worried by this decision.

"We are working closely with the local commissioners and would like to assure people that we will do our best to provide as much assistance as possible to help you find an alternative placements."

Argyle House provides nursing accommodation for up to 87 people, some of whom have dementia, at its four-storey base on The Avenue, Dallington.

The Care Quality Commission rated the care home as 'requires improvement' in June 2019, having previously been in special measures.

A family member of a current Argyle House resident with dementia, who wished to remain anonymous, is worried about finding a new home for their loved one and for the staff.

"Everybody has the right to do what they want with their business but it's the timescale - four weeks to find a very elderly lady with dementia a new home," they said.

"I find it very difficult to understand how we will find them somewhere else to live in that time.

"We weren't notified informally at all, not even a phone call to say sorry, we've had nothing but this letter which I assume has gone to every other residents' family too."

Maria Mallaband Care Group was contacted for comment.