To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the potential impact of reports that HC-One plans to terminate the contract for the hospital-based complex clinical care service at Hatton Lea care home. (S6O-03382)

Although we have overall responsibility for health and social care policy in Scotland, the statutory responsibility for delivering and commissioning appropriate services for the community lies with local authorities and integration joint boards. We set clear standards for the quality of care that is provided in Scotland and regularly engage with local partners to ensure that those standards are met.

We understand that North Lanarkshire health and social care partnership is working to identify a new location for the service and is conducting robust reviews for each individual to ensure that the safety and care of every resident remains everyone’s top priority. We also understand that HC-One’s managing director has offered to meet residents’ representatives and the affected families to discuss their concerns.

The termination of HC-One’s outdated contract with university health and social care North Lanarkshire has led to the closure of three of its five Hatton Lea care home units, as the physical layout is considered no longer suitable for residents with advanced dementia. Vulnerable patients and their families are left understandably distressed at the loss of their forever home. What steps is the Scottish Government taking to monitor planned closures and prevent such failures at a national level, so that any escalation in closures during this period of rising costs can be addressed at an early stage, to ensure that continuity of care is prioritised?

We understand that university health and social care North Lanarkshire is working hard to identify a new location for the HBCCC service in a comfortable and homely environment. Its overriding priority for each and every patient is ensuring their continued safety, minimising any distress and supporting them and their families and carers through the process. It is also providing support, as necessary, to staff to ensure that the service’s patients remain everyone’s number 1 priority throughout the process.

Regrettably, there will be situations in which care homes that are run by the independent sector or a local authority close. Our focus is on ensuring that the local partners that are responsible do what is required to ensure transition to suitable alternative placements.