Discussions with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) yesterday confirmed that we won’t be able to move residents from Park House to the new integrated health and social care facility next week, as we had originally planned and communicated to residents, families, staff, and partner organisations.
A CQC Inspector will need to complete an initial virtual walkthrough of the new building before the care home can be registered, and only at this point will they be able to give us an indication of a new timeline for the move. We are due to meet with the CQC Inspector responsible for registration on Monday (23 March 2026) and will issue another update to the community as soon as we know more. We will keep our care home residents and their families informed throughout this process and do everything we can to support them as they adapt to this change of plan.
We apologise for any distress or inconvenience this delay may cause to all those who have been preparing for the move. We understand that it may not be easy for everyone to adjust their plans, but we hope that these adjustments will result in an even better outcome for our residents and staff, as there will be more time to make the new care home as welcoming as possible.
Cllr Robert Francis, Chairman of the Council of the Isles of Scilly, said: “I know this will come as concerning news to many of you – particularly to those whose plans to move or support the transition will be affected. However, whilst there is some uncertainty around the new move date at this stage, you can be absolutely assured that the move will take place, and that we will keep everyone fully informed as soon as we have further information from the CQC.
Whilst we are deeply disappointed not to have been able to keep to the original timeline, we are also grateful for the additional time this affords to add finishing touches to the new care home. We want all residents in our care to feel at home from the first moment they enter the new building, and we would like to thank the community for their continued support in this effort.
The new Isles of Scilly Health and Care Partnership will bring benefits to the islands that the community has longed for over many years, so it’s vital that we get this final stage of the transition right for everyone. Thank you all for your patience, and to everyone helping to deliver this truly exceptional project.”
Implications on the redevelopment of the Park House building
This alteration to the timeline will naturally have implications for the planned vacation and redevelopment of the existing care home building into residential properties. We will issue an update on the Park House redevelopment project as soon as we have had time to review the related contracts and agree a way forward with stakeholders.