A new report has revealed that Parklands Care Homes has contributed £27.5m nationally to the Scottish economy.
The report from economic consultants MKA Economics assessed the care home group’s current economic impact, including projected effects of its future expansion up to 2028.
The company’s sites in the Highlands, Moray and Aberdeenshire, currently contribute £27.5m a year to the national economy in gross value added.
Regionally, £10m is generated in Highland and £15.8m in Moray and Aberdeenshire.
Parklands’ future investments are also forecast to bring the care group’s contribution to £41.4m annually by 2028, with £14.9m in Highland and £23.8m in the North East.
The care home group, which currently operates 12 care homes, has plans for a new 58 bed care home in Inverness currently under construction and due to open in Spring 2025.
The report also stated that the number of care beds provided by Parklands is expected to increase by 59%, from 451 to 718.
Parklands currently employs approximately 860 staff, including full-time, part-time, and relief workers.
The number of full-time equivalents (FTEs) working for the company to rise by over 50%, from 501 to 757.
Ron Taylor, managing director of Parklands Care Homes, said: “Parklands has grown from a single care home into one of the north of Scotland’s largest employers, delivering much-needed care capacity and creating new career opportunities for local people. At a time when social care in Scotland is contracting, Parklands is delivering significant investment in the region.”
Colin Marr, chief executive of Inverness Chamber of Commerce, said: “We already knew that Parklands is an important contributor to the Highland economy, and this report allows us to quantify their current contribution while also looking ahead to how that contribution will grow over the next few years as their expansion plans come to fruition.
“All locally based large employers are important for our region and it’s imperative that as our population ages that we have a thriving, quality care sector who can attend to their needs. It’s also important that the care sector supports the community they are based in.”
