The economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic has forced the closure of two Liverpool care homes less than a year after they opened.
Liverpool City Council said work is under way to find alternative accommodation for the 83 affected residents of Brushwood in Speke and Millvina House in Everton, both operated by Shaw Healthcare.
“The local and national impact of Covid has resulted in vacant capacity in Liverpool’s care homes,” added Cllr Paul Brant, Liverpool City Council’s cabinet member for Adult Health and Social Care.
“The vacancies mean that we need to consider alternative uses/purposes for Millvina House and Brushwood, hopefully within the health sector, where negotiations are already at an early stage."
The £8m Brushwood (pictured), which was the first care home built by Liverpool City Council since 1994, opened last October. Millvina House opened the following month.
Shaw Healthcare said the company has sustained “significant and unsustainable losses” as a direct result of the change in market conditions caused by the pandemic.
“We operate Millvina House and Brushwood on a leased basis from Liverpool City Council with additional costs such as staffing and the provision of equipment also being met by us,” added chief operating officer Mike Smith.
“Despite working closely with the council to try and put the financial performance of both services on a stronger footing we have been unable to find a workable, long term solution,” he added.
