Uncertain future for residents and staff as nursing home in Old Colwyn is set to close

A NURSING home has gone into administration – leaving staff and residents with an uncertain future. Administrators have been brought in to salvage what they can of the business at the Mount Nursing Home in Old Colwyn.

It is understood that the elderly residents will be re-homed by the end of May.

A creditor, who asked to remain anonymous, said The Mount owed him thousands of pounds. He added: “It has gone into administration so I will be lucky to get a fraction of what they owe me.”

The supplier to the home claimed that a number of businesses would be left in a similar position. He also expressed sympathy for the staff and residents.

“The staff have all been laid off. They won’t be getting their full pay and the residents have been put in a terrible position,” he added.

Administrators from FRP Advisory insolvency specialists have been appointed, with joint administrators named as Chris Stevens and Ben Woolrych.

The administrator said that the home is going to close and residents re-homed “sensitively”.

Last night a manager at The Mount referred calls to a company called Healthcare Management Solutions (HCMS), which is running the home.

A HCMS spokesman said: “HCMS has been appointed by the administrator to use its expertise in the care sector to ensure that the closure of the home causes as little disruption to the residents as possible.”

She added: “HCMS staff are working closely with residents, their families and the local authority to facilitate a smooth and safe transfer to new homes.”

The website carehome.co.uk lists The Mount as a registered care home with space for 24 elderly residents – it has 22 single rooms and one shared room.

Last September, it emerged that an enforcement notice had been served on The Mount after a spot-check inspection revealed neglect.

A Care and Social Services Inspectorate Wales (CSSIW) report following its inspection last May found that some residents hadn’t been washed and the home was understaffed.

After the claims, The Mount’s owner and director, Gary Uppal, said that changes had been made and invited the public to inspect the building on Watkin Avenue.

The home blamed problems on there not being a registered manager in charge at the time, and says it was interviewing nurses for the position.

Mr Uppal said at the time: “I’d like to assure everyone that the welfare of our residents is our highest priority.” Mr Uppal said the home had addressed its problems.