The loss of nursing beds at River View is unlikely to be permanent, says health manager.

“When it comes to May next year, when we’re due to move in, I’m optimistic we’ll have all six nursing beds available, said, Nick Hindmarsh, Manager and Coordinator, Dartmouth Caring.

“To be clear, I am optimistic that we’ll have a quality provider of nursing care alongside all the other services at River View.”

The closure of the nursing beds at River View has come about because the operator of the home, High Trees, failed a review by the policing body for the facility, the Care Quality Commission, ‘CQC’. The review was about a month ago and I believe it criticised the standard of nursing care provided by the nursing home.

High Trees have said that in order to maintain the 30 residential beds at River View, it is necessary that they stop providing the six nursing care beds and this is why notice was given to the occupants of the nursing beds.

This closure of the six nursing beds has come about unexpectedly. Although High Trees had received poor reports from the CQC before, their report prior to the most recent, damaging review, was good.

The latest visit which produced a negative review, was not a regular visit by inspectors but a review because of a complaint. The review criticised the standard of nursing because of a shortage of qualified staff.

The actual report from the recent visit by CQC inspectors has not yet been published. The operator of River View has the opportunity to challenge the report when it is published but it has taken action to close its nursing beds, in any event.

As part of the process to establish the Wellbeing Centre at River View, requests for tenders from replacement operators of residential and nursing care homes had already been sent out and responses were received on Friday, November 10.

Although the tender documents did not specifically call for the ability to provide nursing beds as well as residential, tenders have been received from operators who have the ability to run both.

One of the tenders comes from an operator that has recently taken over two homes in Torbay and already operates nursing beds in Torbay and elsewhere.

Any new operator will require consent from the CQC to run River View. Discussions are already taking place for a quick handover of River View to a new operator although no time scale has been given.

Nick Hindmarsh continued: “I can’t say for sure that the outcome will be the re-instatement of the six nursing beds but, as I have said, I am optimistic. There is guaranteed income available from the NHS for these beds and a commitment to pay whether they are occupied or not, as they are block-booked.

“Additionally, River View is the model that the health authorities wish to copy for Buckfastleigh, Ashburton and Totnes. They have a vested interest to make this work.”

Devon County Councillor Jonathan Hawkins said: “I am optimistic too, but every time we believe we have a level planning ground the services that are actually put in place are less than what had been promised, for instance, the closure of the hospital, the ex ray unit and the A and E unit.

“All closures were originally denied, but they then happened anyway.

“I sincerely hope this will not happen again. When we heard that the nursing care was not part of the tenders being offered then I was concerned. Wouldn’t you be?”

Mairead McAlinden, Chief Executive of Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust said: “A number of issues have been identified in the quality of provision at River View Care Home in Dartmouth and the home is now subject to a safeguarding review.

“The Trust is working with Devon County Council and South Devon and Torbay Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) to support the registered owners of the care home, High Trees Limited, in delivering the required improvements. We are all absolutely focussed on ensuring that current residents are safe and properly cared for.

“The owners of River View, High Trees, have decided that while these improvements are being made they will not take on new residents. They have also decided that in response to concerns raised by the CQC that they are unable to continue to offer registered nursing care for a period of time.

“This means that while the improvements are being made there is a need to place a small number of people with nursing needs into alternative homes. The local team is working with those individuals and their families to find suitable alternative care arrangements.

“We understand that this is a very difficult time for these people, and we will do everything we can to minimise disruption to the support they receive, whilst ensuring that everyone continues to receive safe care appropriate for their individual needs.”

“Senior Managers from Devon County Council, South Devon and Torbay Clinical Commissioning Group and the Trust are working on plans to secure nursing home beds in the Dartmouth area.

“The plan for the River View site is to create a new Health and Wellbeing Centre for the people of Dartmouth, opening in 2018, that includes new accommodation for the Dartmouth Medical Practice, Dartmouth Caring, Trust Health and Care staff, all the clinics currently provided in the centre of town, and Lloyds the chemist.

“The intention is that this facility will deliver a sustainable and high quality care home facility with intermediate care (nursing) beds. This will complement the wide range of services provided by all the partners involved in this development to support people to live independently in their own homes.

Mairead continued: “We are working together as a partnership to deliver a complex and specialised integrated care development. Work is already underway to secure a long-term partner to run the care home at River View and we are in discussions with interested parties about how they can help us to meet current and future residential and nursing care needs for people in the Dartmouth area.”

Local MP, Dr Sarah Wollaston commented: “We must see the plans for River View implemented as envisioned and bring all services under one roof. That includes nursing and intermediate care beds,, for example for those who need palliative care or to help people to regain their independence or reduce the time they need to spend in hospital.

“The situation with the current care home is a setback and every effort is being made to find another provider to make sure that nursing care beds will be available as soon as possible, and maintained for the future.”

Councillor Andrew Leadbetter, Devon County Council’s Cabinet Member with responsibility for adult social care, said: “We are working hard to find a solution that meets the needs of people in Dartmouth whilst also ensuring quality care is available for people who need support.”