Health Minister Kate Beecroft has rejected a claim the government should take on a private sector nursing home that is being closed.

Responding to questions about why her department was not taking over the King’s Reach nursing home, in Ramsey, after its operator announced plans to close, Health Minister Kate Beecroft said the building did not meet current requirements.

Tim Baker (Ayre and Michael, pictured below) referred to future projections of increased nursing home requirements in the future and asked how that squared with not stepping in at King’s Reach.

’The department is sitting by letting it close, meaning that those patients have to be transferred to care homes, probably in the Douglas area,’ he said. ’Is the department going to take a more pro-active approach?’

He suggested taking over the home would help deal with future demand.

But Mrs Beecroft said: ’Unfortunately, my understanding is that the building itself does not meet the current requirements.’

She said she was ’not sure what benefit’ there would be in the government taking on the building and having to upgrade it at a high cost.

Residents and staff at the home, in Alkest Way, were told earlier this month that operator Four Seasons Healthcare would close the home in October. Some will be relocated to nearby Beaconsfield home, but the DHSC has admitted it cannot guarantee all residents will remain in Ramsey.

Mr Baker raised the matter in Tynwald, asking what the current nursing home capacity was in the island.

Mrs Beecroft said there were currently 936 registered care beds for older people, not including King’s Reach. Of these, 454 were registered as care home beds ’with nursing’ - suitable for people with nursing care needs.

As of last week, there were 47 vacancies within residential homes with nursing.

’King’s Reach nursing home at the point of the closure announcement, was caring for 36 residents, 17 of whom were fully funded through social security benefits,’ said Mrs Beecroft.

’The department is confident that there is present capacity within the system to support the transfer of these residents into alternative care placements.’

She added: ’The closure of King’s Reach, whilst regrettable, has coincided with increased capacity within the nursing home sector.

’This increase is reflective of the department’s commissioning position around Salisbury Street Nursing Home (in Douglas) and a general increase in capacity within the private sector nursing homes.’

The DHSC worked with the economic affairs division of the government to keep accurate forecast of future demand.

Mrs Beecroft said: ’The latest projection indicates that there will be a requirement for approximately 230 additional care beds, including both residential and nursing, by 2036.’