SEA View House is officially under new management after Portland District Health formally handed over control of the supported residential service (SRS) to the campaign group which saved it.
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Portland District Health (PDH), which had owned Sea View House since 2002, announced in 2011 that the facility would close within two years, but last October campaigners for the service reached a decision with PDH to take over management until early this year.
Donations to the campaigners of $300,000 secured the future of the supported residential facility and last Friday the PDH board of management signed a lease agreement with the Friends of Sea View House group to begin managing the facility.
The changeover to the group, now formally known as the Sea View House Residential Care Inc, has allowed for a seamless transition for the house’s five elderly residents.
PDH chief executive officer Chris Giles said the Friends of Sea View House had been able to meet all of the board’s requirements.
“The board had agreed to sign the lease subject to a number of conditions being met and they have now all been met and ticked off,” Ms Giles said.
She said the board took advice from advisory business service Ernst and Young, setting rigorous conditions around the lease to ensure the community group was well placed to run the facility.
“The group has been able to demonstrate that they can meet these conditions.
“It is a good outcome for the community which wanted this facility to remain and has supported the campaign.”
The Friends group has met the Department of Health requirements to be a supported residential service provider, has been registered as a licensed SRS provider, has completed all the required business protocols, and was able to raise $300,000 start-up capital for the business,