A private care firm has been awarded a contract to run the new Summerhill View care home.

Construction of Summerhill View, a 60-bed residential care home on Victoria Road, is now complete and the facility is expected to open later this year.

It replaces the Reayrt ny Baie home, on Albert Terrace in Douglas, which Manx Care says is now dated and impractical for staff and residents. Tynwald approved £11.7 million for the project in 2020 but by last year, the cost of the scheme had risen to close to £15m.

The original plan had been for Manx Care to staff and run the new home.

But earlier this year it announced that other options were being explored including the feasibility of commissioning an independent provider to staff and operate the home on behalf of Manx Care.

Now the contract to deliver services at Summerhill View has been awarded to the LV Care Group. This followed the completion of a tender and procurement process. LV Care Group is an established provider of nursing care and home care in the Isle of Man and Jersey. The company is also investing in the development of new services here.

Summerhill View, with four 15-bed units and en-suites for each resident, requires many more staff than Reayrt ny Baie and Manx Care believes bringing in an independent care provider will deliver services in the most efficient way, balancing value for money and high standards of care.  Manx Care says it will now work alongside LV Care to make sure the transition of residents from Reayrt ny Baie to Summerhill View is managed in a sensitive and caring manner.

Staff and residents at Reayrt ny Baie have been informed of the new provider, and discussions continue to ensure each staff member and resident has an opportunity to discuss their personal circumstances.

‘We recognise that this may cause some concern and could be an unexpected change for those who live at Reayrt ny Baie as well as their families. Social Care assessments are being undertaken with each resident to ensure individual needs are met,’ Manx Care said.

It may take some time to have a confirmed date for moving, as staff will need to undertake operational training, LV will need to complete registration of Summerhill View, and detailed plans will need to be in place to ensure the safe move of those residents moving from Reayrt ny Baie.

The intention is that the facility will be open by November 2024.

Professor Tim O’Neill, executive director of Social Care, Mental Health and Safeguarding said: ‘We will work with the new provider to make the transition for residents and their families as smooth as possible.

‘Summerhill View represents a hugely important, positive step for Manx Care in delivering quality care for all residents.’