Closed Cradley Heath care home could re-open as supported living flats

Trinity House Care Centre in Old Hill, Cradley Heath, closed last year after successive ‘inadequate’ ratings from inspectors.

New plans by Amjad Mahmood would see the former 33-bed care home in Mace Street converted into 14 supported living flats. According to the application, the flats would be run by Rehability UK, the same company in charge of the care home when it closed.

Rehability said the closure was a “business decision” and was not because of the inadequate rating.

The care home closed its doors last year after twice receiving the lowest grade from the Care Quality Commission – the body responsible for inspecting care homes.

The watchdog slapped the care home with the worst possible rating after finding that CCTV cameras had been installed in the building without consent from vulnerable residents or their loved ones.

The care home was rapped in 2022 for not providing enough activities for residents and for leaving a broken television in the care home’s only remaining communal space.

The care home’s garden was also left in a “hazardous” state of disrepair. Safeguarding concerns were also raised with Sandwell Council.

The care home was inspected following allegations of physical and financial abuse from whistleblowers which led to the Mace Street care home being placed in special measures.

“Systems were not in place to analyse accidents or incidents to identify any trends or lessons to be learned,” inspectors said. “The provider’s own policies and procedures had not been reviewed to ensure they were fit for purpose for this part of their business.

“A dependency tool in place to assess staffing levels had failed to identify the need of an additional member of staff required on the morning shift.

“Audits had failed to identify information was missing from a member of staff’s file and the completion of fluid charts was not robust.”

A statement included with the application said: “The proposal is to provide independent living of 14 self-contained units within the existing building, and the use is appropriate to a residential area.

“Residents will be allocated through a referral system; The property will be leased as a whole to a registered social landlord, whom will sublet each dwelling to a tenant who has been specifically referred to the building via social services.

“All the residents will be referred to the application site, have learning disabilities, autism, mental health, brain acquired injury or require supported living accommodation.

“It is proposed that the care and support will be provided by Rehability UK whom will be contracted by the local authority to provide such care deemed necessary.”