Tuesday 06 December 2022
In a joint effort to ensure the long-term future of St John's Residential Home, its board and the States of Guernsey have agreed that Health & Social Care will take over responsibility for running St John's Residential Home from 1 January 2023.
This agreement has been reached following a difficult decision for the Home's Directors, and with the sole focus of all concerned being ensuring the continuation of the care it provides its residents and the Home's value to the island as a whole given the well-publicised need for care homes.
In practice residents and their families will see very little change as a result in the transfer of responsibility for running the Home. All staff will have the opportunity to move across to be employed by the States of Guernsey, with protected and in many cases improved terms of conditions. St John's Operations and Care Home Manager and Clinical Lead have both been involved in discussions and confirmed they will remain in post. This importantly ensures continuity for residents and families around the care they receive.
The decision to take over the running of the Home was made with the full support of the Committee for Health & Social Care, the Policy & Resources Committee, and the Committee for Employment & Social Security.
Colin Pickard, Chairman of the St John's Residential Home Board, said:
'This decision was very much made with a heavy heart on a personal level, but one that provides me, my wife Suzanne and fellow board member Nick McCathie with new-found hope and comfort for the future of St John's Residential Home. We are reassured that the change in ownership will result in very little change to the actual running of the home and most importantly to the care residents receive. I want to thank all our hard-working staff. This has been a very difficult decision for us to make but our absolute focus has been on securing the long-term future of the Home and, while heart-breaking for us to step aside, we know it is the right decision for the Home, its staff and importantly its residents.'
Deputy Al Brouard, President of the Committee for Health & Social Care, said:
'It is rare that an issue generates the widespread support from three different political Committees but the decision to take over the running of St John Residential Home, to secure its long-term operations, was one such example. It is a well-established fact that the island needs good quality care homes and increasingly so in the years ahead. This agreement ensures a continuation of care for residents, security for staff and maintains an important residential home for the community as a whole.'
Jason Moriarty, States of Guernsey Chief Operating Officer, said:
'I'd like to thank Colin and Suzanne for their commitment to ensuring the long-term stability of the Home, which has been their focus throughout discussions. Working with them we have begun the process of engaging with staff, residents and their families to reassure them that very little will change from their respective perspectives. We are delighted that the Home's Operations and Care Home Manager and Clinical Lead are working with us and will remain in post, as this will ensure that the level and style of care delivery will remain consistent for residents, which is a key priority for us.'
