RESIDENTS of a care home which specialises in dementia and respite care for adults with disabilities have been told they have just three months to find a new home.

Hawkesgarth Lodge Care Home, in Hawsker, near Whitby, has informed its 28 residents that due to issues in recruiting adequate numbers of staff, it will be closing in early May.

Embrace Group, which runs the facility, informed residents last week of the imminent closure, blaming a national shortage of nurses and care staff for its inability to employ enough permanent care staff.

Scarborough Borough Councillor Jane Mortimer said she was concerned for current residents, and for the area to lose such a vital service.

“I have heard that some residents will be moving to Whitby and others to Pickering, but it is a real upheaval for them and such a shame it has to close,” she said.

“The residents all loved it, it specialised in dementia care and there were also respite beds for younger adults who need specialist care.”

Cllr Mortimer said the home had suffered staffing problems for several years, and had even requested planning permission for a house on site for its staff around five years ago, but the plans had been refused.

She added: “To have 24 hour care, 365 days a year for around 30 people with serious health issues, you will need enough staff in order to make it safe. They have had some excellent staff there but the problem has clearly been in the numbers.”

Hawsker-cum-Stainsacre Parish Councillor John Cummins said the loss of the home was a real blow as it was the only specialist home in the area.

A spokesman for Embrace said: “As a result of the acute national shortage of trained nursing and care home staff we have been unable to recruit an appropriately qualified manager and have faced difficulty in retaining sufficient permanent care staff.

“Consequently we were unable to guarantee in the future the high quality care that our residents expect and deserve, and we therefore took the decision to close the home.

“The health and wellbeing of the people we support is our number one priority. We are working closely with residents, their families and the local authority to identify alternative homes that meet each resident’s individual care needs.

“We will work together to ensure the relocations are managed with minimal disruption. During this process additional members of the management team will be present at the home to support the staff team to provide continuity of care for all residents. The closure date is scheduled for May 2, although the final date will be determined by ensuring every resident has found the right new home to meet their care needs.”