Swanage Nursing Home placed into Administration

A 31-bed nursing and residential home in Dorset has been placed into administration ahead of going up for sale.

Julie Palmer and Simon Campbell, of business recovery specialists Begbies Traynor, have been appointed joint administrators for The Old Rectory Nursing and Residential Home, run by DAH Healthcare Limited, in Langton Matravers, near Swanage.

The care home, whose 21 residents have not been affected by the situation, puts its woes down to cash flow difficulties resulting from historical occupancy rate and staffing issues. However, the Administrators have implemented limited stabilisation measures and the business, which is soon to be available for sale, is trading on and is now comfortably viable in the medium term.

Julie Palmer, who is Begbies Traynor’s South West Deputy Regional Managing Partner and based at the company’s Salisbury office, said: “We have worked hard to ensure there is no disruption to residents and that they continue to receive an excellent standard of care. We have also reassured relatives that their loved ones will be completely unaffected during this interim period.

“We would also like to stress that despite past difficulties the business is fundamentally profitable and is now in a position to prosper. As Administrators, we will now be trading the business forward with a view to a seamless sale in order to minimise disruption to residents and staff.”

She added that there would be no job losses resulting out of the business being placed into administration. The business is expected to become available for sale within the next 3 months and is likely to receive significant interest from a variety of care home operators.

Accommodation at The Old Rectory Nursing and Residential Home is provided over two floors with a communal lounge, dining area and landscaped gardens. It currently caters to both private and publicly funded residents and is being described as a care home with a nursing service.

Care Quality Commission inspectors visited the home in May of this year, reporting positively.

The administrators are being advised by care home experts on regulatory compliance and care delivery during this period.

Langton Matravers is situated in the Purbecks on the Dorset world heritage coastline.