Portland District Health (PDH) board this week broke the news to the 20 residents and families assuring them no one would be forced out until suitable alternative places were found.

Board chairman Michael Noske told The Standard yesterday community protesters who had claimed they could form an entity to run the operation failed to come up with a viable case.

“The board has made its decision and the real estate will eventually be used for other health delivery services,” he said.

“It will not be sold off.

“It’s a sad decision, but in the end could not be avoided.”

Sea View House, a 58-bed suppported residential service, has been operated by PDH since 2002, but numbers have been dwindling.

Mr Noske said the Ferrier Hodgson report showed new operators would need to charge residents between $750 and $800 a week which is almost double what they now pay.

He said the report found it would be unlikely a suitable alternative operator could be found and demand would be insufficient to make it sustainable.

Portland will be left with 30 residential aged care beds at the base hospital and 120 beds at Glenelg Aged Care Service.

If Sea View House residents cannot find beds there they will have to go to other district venues.

“We have an obligation to find them appropriate accommodation,” Mr Noske said.