Care home closure goes ahead despite objections from families

The closure of a Swindon care home has gone ahead as planned despite objections from the residents’ families.

Bobbins Care Home on Cricklade Road closed for good on December 31, the home’s management Active Care Group (ACG) has confirmed.

Bobbins had provided residential care services to adults with learning and physical disabilities in the Swindon area and housed four residents prior to the closure.

The home’s closure had been announced on December 2 to the shock of residents’ families, following a “strategic review of the facility” in which the care provider determined it could no longer sustainably manage Bobbins.

(Image: Dave Cox)

ACG has confirmed that accommodation has been found for all four residents and says it “worked closely” with local authorities to ensure this.

A spokesperson for Active Care Group said: “ACG worked closely with the local authority to minimise the impact of the closure, including discussing an extension period, which in the event was not taken up.

“All residents secured appropriate placements prior to the service closure.”

By law, care homes are only required to give at least 28 days’ notice if it is decided the home can no longer meet the care needs of its residents.

However, the families of the home’s residents voiced concerns about the abrupt nature of ACG’s announcement due to the short time it left them to find new homes for their loved ones.

Lis Smith, whose son Robert had lived at Bobbins for eight years, said: “Robbie moved into a new residential care home on January 2.  Time will tell if it is going to be his forever home, we are very hopeful.”

Lis added that the circumstances of the transition were far from ideal and feels she received insufficient help from ACG in aiding her son’s move.

“ACG did not help at all and didn’t even try to keep the home open so we all had longer transitions.

“The council were very helpful but Robbie’s transition has just been two weeks, something that normally takes a good few months.”

At the time of the closure’s announcement, a spokesperson for Swindon Borough Council said: “We were disappointed, and surprised, to learn from Active Care that it planned to close its Bobbins setting.

“We are already in the process of supporting the four care home residents and their families so we find them alternative provision that best suits their needs.”

The Care Quality Commission had previously restricted admissions to Bobbins in July 2024 due to concerns about residents’ safety following an inspection of the home.

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