Around 100 jobs are to go when the Burrswood Health and Wellbeing centre in Groombridge closes its doors.
The centre, founded in 1948 by Dorothy Kerin, a devout Christian who believed in bringing together mainstream medicine and Christian healing.
The Dorothy Kerin Trust, which manages the Burrswood centre and its estate has blamed ‘considerable financial challenges’ including a dwindling income stream and ‘heavy costs’ of running the practice.
In a statement on their website, the trust said: “The Dorothy Kerin Trust has been faced with considerable financial challenges for a number of years.”
It continued: “The Trust has found itself in an increasingly competitive market for health and social care needs, and it has been unable to generate enough income from its many service streams to meet the heavy cost obligations of running Burrswood
“Despite sporadic sizeable single donations and legacies, there has also been a significant shortfall in reaching fundraising targets.”
Changes in Care Quality Commission [CQC] compliance has also brought with it additional costs, say the trust, which has resulted in ‘Burrswood facing an unsustainable financial position.’
The trust said that the situation was now ‘untenable’ and they will end operations at Burrswood at the end of June this year.
The trust added: “We have started a consultation process with all affected employees, who are at risk of redundancy, and we have also told our volunteers and supporters about the proposal.
“The Trustees are hopeful that as we move through this process new opportunities will emerge which will enable the God-given legacy of Dorothy Kerin to be carried forward for a new generation in a new age.”
Burrswood switched from a medical hospital to a wellbeing centre two years ago, but has been struggling since the transition.
Publically available accounts show that revenue has tumbled since 2017, with the centre losing more than a third of its income, despite the trust owning assets in excess of £6million, mostly consisting of the Grade II listed Burrswood House and estate.
