Four Seasons Health Care has announced it is to close Hallgarth Care Home in Durham.

The home, which is currently rated Good by the CQC, provides residential and nursing care for up to 60 older people.

A Four Seasons spokesperson said: “Four Seasons Health Care has made the difficult decision to close Hallgarth Care Home in Durham. The wellbeing of our residents has been our priority ever since the home opened and will remain our priority until we close in August. We are working closely with Durham County Council’s Social Services team and family members to ensure suitable alternative care arrangements are made for the seven residents remaining in the home. We would like to thank all members of our hard working team for caring for the residents at the home and we have made alternative positions available to affected members of staff.”

Neil Jarvis, Durham County Council’s senior commissioning delivery manager, said: “We were sorry to hear of the planned closure of Hallgarth Care Home and we appreciate this may be an upsetting time for residents and their families.

“We are working with the current care provider, residents, and families to explore alternative care options and are providing ongoing support to residents and staff. The majority of residents have already chosen and moved to other care services, with only seven residents remaining in the home. We have available care home capacity through our established contracts and the remaining residents all have plans in place to move to alternative homes in the coming weeks. Our Care Academy will also be supporting affected staff who wish to seek employment elsewhere in the sector.

“We are not the landlord or leaseholder of the building, so it would be inappropriate for us to comment on plans for its future use.”

Etain Stobbart, GMB organiser, said: “This is a cold-blooded decision make based on profit alone that has left dozens of residents and workers stunned. 

“Vulnerable older people and their families are desperately scrabbling around for somewhere to live, while workers have no idea how they are going to keep food on the table and a roof over their families’ heads. 

“Durham Council can sort this out – by taking the facility back in house. We urge them to do so and save unnecessary trauma for residents, workers and their families.” 

In June 2022 Four Seasons announced it was selling its final 111 freehold care homes. In an investor update in April 2023, the care home provider said it expected to complete the process in the second half of this year.

An update on the restructuring process is being provided at 3pm this Thursday.