Cheshire care home forced to close after council withdraws funding

Ryan Care Residential in Runcorn is to close after local council withdrew funding due to ‘the detrimental effects of the economic climate and COVID-19.’

The family-run home, rated ‘good’ by the Care Quality Commission, lost five residents to COVID-19 in May and has since struggled to fill the vacant beds.

Rachel Barry, manager and co-owner of Ryan residential told Sky News Daily podcast: “We've put [in] a lot of hard work. Tears, anger, sweat, everything into the business. I call it a business but it's our lives. It’s not just a business, it’s a small family-run home. Previous to COVID-19 and lockdown, we had a very long waiting list.”

But after the devastating deaths of five residents, the home found themselves struggling financially after trying to fill the vacant beds. Ms Barry said: “Unfortunately, after exhausting that waiting list a lot of people died in the community [or] were admitted into [other care] homes and were settled.”

Ms Barry thought she had financial support from Halton Council. “It was a bit of a comfort blanket while we tried to get back to a bit of normality as well as grieve for what we had lost.”

Halton Council helped Mr Ryan and Ms Barry for a further three weeks before Ms Barry went back to them to ask for extra funding. “They said they were no longer able to help us so we took the hard decision to close,” added Ms Barry.

’We are all like family and truly upset'

The remaining 10 residents from Ryan Care Residential are now being moved into other accommodation around the Cheshire area.

Owner Terry Ryan said: “We are a small, not-for-profit care home and all our staff are inconsolable. We are all like family and truly upset.

“It’s heartbreaking for our vulnerable residents having the stress and uncertainty of moving into new care homes.

“The council have pulled the rug from under us and would now prefer to move our vulnerable residents into other care homes.

“Our elderly residents are devastated as are their families. We’ve been operating for eight years and we are known in the local area for operating a really good dementia care home. Why can’t the local authority help us during these times?”

A spokesperson for Halton Council said: “Halton Borough Council has been working with Ryan Care to find an alternative solution to closure. Regrettably the family-run home has taken the decision to close.

“The emergency funding and Covid-19 grant funding received from government has been used to ensure financial support is available for all contracted residential and nursing care homes within Halton. This has included paying for vacant beds and paying for any additional COVID-related costs.

“The financial support package for homes was reviewed and the support to fund vacant beds was discontinued. Homes remain able to gain financial support from the Infection Control Grant and claim for COVID-related expenditure.

“This situation has highlighted the historic lack of investment in the sector and the detrimental effects of the economic climate and COVID-19."

Halton Council is working to secure alternative homes for Ryan Care residents. The council are working with families, residents and the home to ensure that this transition is as seamless as possible.

The council are also working with the staff currently employed at Ryan Care to help find alternative positions within the sector.