A NURSING home in Largs is to be closed, health officials have confirmed - weeks after it was handed a damning report by inspectors.

The News understands that 53 jobs will be lost with the closure of Moorburn Manor in the town.

Officials from the North Ayrshire Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) said the home's owners had informed them of their intention to shut down the facility - which provides nursing and residential care for up to 35 people.

The move comes after the Care Inspectorate branded the service provided at the facility 'weak' across the board following an inspection earlier this year - and demanded a series of improvements.

In a report published in April, the watchdog said it had found "significant weaknesses" in the quality of care, support, leadership, staffing, setting and planning at the home.

After follow-up visits found a number of concerns remained, the HSCP says it put a stop to all local authority funded placements at Moorburn Manor.

The HSCP says that support was offered to the home to try and help it improve, but that follow-up inspections had found that significant concerns remained.

A North Ayrshire HSCP spokesperson said: “As the governing organisation for care homes in North Ayrshire, we have an ongoing duty to monitor and respond to serious concerns, including determining the level of care that is deemed to be acceptable for our local communities and residents.

“Following the outcomes of the inspection, a number of partners offered support, training, advice and guidance, with the overall objective that Moorburn Manor Nursing Home would implement changes and sustain the necessary improvements to provide a high standard of care.

“The Care Inspectorate undertook follow up visits to Moorburn Manor Nursing Home as part of their inspection process in both April and May 2023.

"Unfortunately, despite some improvements being noted, there remained significant concerns regarding the quality of care.

“As a result, NAHSCP implemented a compulsory moratorium, which places a suspension on any further local authority funded placements at Moorburn Manor Nursing Home.

“This position was communicated to families of residents by letter on June 16 to ensure a shared understanding and transparency of the current position and concerns to enable an informed consideration of individual circumstances for residents of the facility, as well as providing reassurance that the safety and well-being of residents was being monitored.

Largs and Millport Weekly News:

“However, on June 28, the owner of Moorburn Manor Nursing Home communicated to the Partnership that it is their intention to close the care home as a result of the concerns highlighted.

“NAHSCP has again written to residents’ families to update them on the situation and offer support and guidance in identifying an alternative care home place for their loved ones, and will work with families throughout the transition period to ensure that this is a smooth a process as possible.

“The Partnership also has a team of nursing staff on site to ensure the safe delivery of care for all residents in the meantime.

“We fully understand how upsetting the current situation will be for many of the families affected, but we would like to reassure anyone with a family member currently residing in Moorburn Manor that their continued safety and wellbeing is our utmost priority.”

While staff at Moorburn were praised by the inspectors for their kindness, helpfulness and hard-working attitude, the three person inspection team found 'significant weaknesses' in the home's management.

As a result Moorburn Manor was ordered to introduce a 'comprehensive, detailed and dynamic service improvement plan" by May 1.

However a second "virtual" inspection, carried out a day after that deadline, found that not all the requirements had been met.

At the initial inspection, carried out from April 11-14, the inspectors found that some recent incidents and accidents in the home had not been reported to the local authority or the Care Inspectorate.

They said esidents' medication was not being properly managed, thus increasing the risk of errors.

It's not yet known when the home will formally close or where its current residents will be re-homed.

Moorburn Manor Care Home was contacted by the News, but the home's management said they could not comment further at this time.