'It's a scandal' - Fears care home could close after 40 years amid 'bed blocking' and carer shortage

• ITV Meridian's Andy Dickenson reports from Hove

A care home in Hove, and many others, may have to close because they don't have enough residents - despite the need for care being greater than ever.

Churchley Rest Home on New Church Road has been running for almost 40 years.

But staff say bed blocking in the NHS and a shortage of social workers able to make referrals has left them struggling to stay open.

Resident Elspeth Parsons-Glover, 95, said she would be devastated.

"I would feel there's nothing now to look forward to or enjoy because this is definitely a one-off, isn't it.

"All the staff here are gorgeous and we get lots of hugs and cuddles and if we're upset we can have a little weep on their shoulder and if we're happy we can have a little sing song."

Elspeth was previously cared for by her daughter Penelope.

She added: "A group of our most vulnerable people in society are being given a great disservice.

"It's a scandal. It really is.

"It's just not fair.

"This home has been running for almost 40 years, for most of them without any vacancies.

"Now, despite an ageing population, it's almost a quarter empty."

The National Care Association says many independent care homes are in a similar position.

Nadra Ahmed from the organisation said: "From what we hear from providers, they have got vacancies but they're not being approached to take people out of their local hospitals for discharge.

"I think the most important thing to realise is that the care homes need to be running full in order to be viable because of the economic climate and we also know that the fees are quite woefully inadequate in many ways for the types of people we're looking after.

"We've also got a crisis in employment, so a care home, if it's running a full complement of staff, its outgoings will be much greater if it hasn't got a full complement of residents.

"It's not rocket science to realise that will have an impact on that service and they'll have to start thinking about actually knowing how many beds they have open and reducing their workforce, which makes no sense when we know the NHS needs them and actually people in the community may need it as well."

In a statement, a Government spokesperson said: “We’re taking action to ensure the health and care system works closely together to tackle delayed discharge, including investing an additional £1 billion this year to support the NHS and local authorities to ensure timely and effective discharge from hospital."

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