Care Home Professional – August 2019

NEWS U PDAT E

6 CARE HOME PROFESSIONAL | August 2019

NEWS ROUND-UP

S

ignificant progress has

been made in the bid to

find a buyer for care home

group Four Seasons Health Care but a

Barchester deal appears to have hit the

rocks, according to news reports.

Administrator Alvarez & Marsal

(A&M) has reported that more than

45 potential buyers have shown an

interest in Four Seasons with a deal

expected by September, This is Money

reported.

A&M said it had approached over

120 potential buyers with just under

a third given further access to data

A

dult social care’s 21,200 registered managers

and their deputies are to benefit from £3m through

the Workforce Development Fund (WDF).

The £3m, which is administered by Skills for Care on behalf

of the Department of Health and Social Care, is the first time

WDF funding has been targeted specifically at developing

managers and deputies.

“We’ve been talking to registered managers through our

local registered manager networks and engaging through

our membership scheme and other initiatives,” said Skills

for Care Interim CEO Andy Tilden. “They’ve been telling us

loud and clear that they really need this support.

“We also know the impact on managers who do too much

due to not having deputies and team leads to share the work-

load. We’ve made a clear case that this is a role that’s often

isolated, so needed targeted backing from the Workforce

Development Fund. I’m delighted we’ve been successful in

now being able to offer this very significant pot of money.”

For more information about the WDF and how to apply, go

to http://www.skillsforcare.org.uk/WDF.

To find out more about support and funding for social care

managers and deputies, go to: http://www.skillsforcare.org.uk/

succession.

on Four Seasons since it took over its

administration earlier this year.

A Four Seasons spokesperson said:

“We are very encouraged by the levels

of interest and active engagement from

bidders and reiterate that nothing has

changed in terms of our aim that the

process achieves a whole Group solution.

In the meantime, our highly professional

colleagues continue to work hard to

provide their usual quality care across

our homes and hospitals.”

While good progress was reported in

efforts to find a buyer for Four Seasons,

a deal to sell Barchester Healthcare has

hit the rocks, according to the FT.

The FT said Australian investor

Macquarie had pulled out of a £2.5bn

deal to buy Barchester due to Brexit

uncertainty.

Barchester and Macquarie declined

to comment.

Reports have suggest that deals to

sell rival leading care home providers,

HC- One and Care UK, meanwhile,

have also failed.

Analysts have warned that the

chances of a major deal going through

are being hampered by exchange rate

fears amidst Brexit uncertainty.

BUYER IN THE OFFING FOR FOUR SEASONS

BUT BREXIT SCUPPERS BARCHESTER DEAL

REGISTERED MANAGERS AND

DEPUTIES TO BENEFIT FROM £3M FUND

Update

ESSENTIAL NEWS FOR CARE

HOME PROFESSIONALS

l 2.17 acres (0.88 ha) greenfield site

l Consent for 72 bed care home

l 10 extra care units and 7 extra care bungalows

l Attractive village location

Contact:

Richard Lingen

[email protected]

Bakers Lane, Long Buckby,

Northamptonshire, NN6 7WA

For Sale Freehold

Care Home Development Site