A HAMPSHIRE dementia home claims it could be forced to close after being left short of residents by a "shambolic" new system.

The White Rock nursing home at Barton on Sea says ten of its 30 beds are empty - despite the large number of bed-blockers waiting to be discharged from hospitals across the country.

The home, which employs 45 staff, blames a new system being used by Hampshire County Council to find care home places for hospital patients.

The authority has admitted that "regrettable delays" have occurred in some cases and said it was "working hard" to resolve the issue.

But White Rock's general manager, Karen Harrison, claimed the home could be forced to shut unless the situation improves.

She said: “We're rated 'good' by the Care Quality Commission and have an excellent reputation within the local community, but if things don’t change we'll be facing closure through no fault of our own.

"The problem is the new discharge system, which is a complete shambles.

"Local hospitals are jam-packed with patients waiting to be sent to homes such as ours but they can’t move them.

"I spoke with two social workers who are pulling their hair out because they're not allowed to refer patients anymore. Even they have to rely on the new system, which just isn’t working. It's potentially the death knell for small businesses like ours."

But Cllr Liz Fairhurst, the county council's executive member for adult social care, defended the changes.

She said: “The county council supports the discharge of some 8,000 people every year from Hampshire hospitals, the vast majority of whom are able to leave hospital quickly - either returning to their own homes or into residential or nursing care.

"We have recently changed the way we secure residential or nursing accommodation for people coming out of hospital.

“This new way of working ensures a thorough process is undertaken by a specialist team who match the needs of our clients to the right residential or nursing home.

"Using this approach the majority of clients have been found accommodation quickly but we recognise that there have been some delays, which is regrettable.

"We are working hard to address this so that everyone leaving hospital who requires residential or nursing care, receives it promptly."

White Rock was inspected by the Care Quality Commission, which regulates the industry, in June last year and was rated 'good' in all categories.