PAUL Glover, who lives in Salisbury, was “parachuted” in to rescue The Magna Road Care Home, Poole, which was facing closure after a number of safeguarding issues and tough financial struggles.

The home was on the brink of closure last year with all the associated disruption for the residents, but within a few months Mr Glover managed to turn the crisis round. After an inspection in April by the Care Quality Commission, the Poole home was given the all-clear.

“It really was a remarkable achievement,” said Fiona Hobbs, a colleague who put Mr Glover’s name forward in the Local Heroes Carer of the Year category.

She said: “Paul took on an impossible challenge last December. That care home had safeguarding issues, closure notices, restrictions, a bad press and even featured in a negative report on TV’s Watchdog. It was given three weeks to survive.

“Paul took on that challenge and what a transformation. He worked ceaselessly for weeks rebuilding trust, begging and borrowing from other professionals to ensure the care home survived and our service users and families had a place to live and a care home for their loved ones.

“The families, the staff, the service users owe everything to this truly amazing man who sacrificed time with his own young family to achieve an outcome for people with severe learning disabilities who could not speak for themselves.”

Mr Glover, who is also responsible for improvements to the High Town Road Care Home, Ringwood, said: “It was touch and go for a while but we got new staff in, took control and pulled together to save the situation and now the home in Magna Road is back on track.

“It’s lovely that our work has been recognised by the Journal but it’s down to everyone involved. I’d like to thank them for their support.”