Oldham Council has stepped in to save Chadderton Total Care which was put into administration when it got into financial difficulties.

Closure would have affected 100 residents, many with complex needs requiring specialist nursing care, and also put 200 employees’ jobs at risk including nurses, specialist support workers and front line carers.

The council’s cabinet agreed it should step in to protect both staff and residents.

Oldham Council cabinet member for health and social care, Councillor Barbara Brownridge said “This is a very challenging time for the health and care industry as a result of rising inflation and energy costs and staffing pressures which significantly affect how care homes can operate.

“This is the second largest care home that provides nursing care in the borough and its closure would affect hundreds of people who we have a duty to protect. In addition, the need for nursing care would put increased pressure on the NHS and meant that it would be more difficult to discharge patients from hospital because of the shortage of beds. It was, therefore, ethically and legally right to take steps to allow the continued operation of this home so that staff and residents would experience as little disruption as possible.

“The staff have done an excellent job and we thank them for their efforts during this difficult time.”

Oldham Council Leader, Councillor Arooj Shah added: “Keeping people employed and vulnerable residents safe is our priority here so I’m glad that we’ve been able to make that happen. But there is a wider issue that we have had to work quickly to prevent, and this is the risk to NHS care in Oldham. The NHS is already struggling, and a complete closure of Chadderton Total Care would have undoubtedly created a bed blocking situation.     

“Acquiring the home is not a decision we’ve taken lightly but the alternative was cruel, with job losses for hardworking staff, vulnerable people being forced to move and the wider risk to patient care in Oldham. We’ve taken this action to make sure this doesn’t happen.”  

Oldham Total Care is wholly owned by Oldham Council and will now run the company on behalf of the council. 

Law firm Weightmans acted on the urgent purchase,

Charles Boyne, a partner at Weightmans, said: “This was a transaction which required a rapid turnaround in order to safeguard the position of the residents in the immediate term. All the professional advisers, including the main stakeholders at the council, across the piece were aligned in respect of the need to find solutions pragmatically and speedily to the developing risks of closure.”