A Powys care home boss has warned of massive closures in the care sector due to the coronavirus crisis.

Sanjiv Joshi, the managing director of the Caron Group, which runs Crosfield House in Rhayader, has called for more urgent support from the Welsh Government.

Mr Joshi said the coronavirus pandemic was pushing an already fragile sector over the edge financially.

It follows Care Forum Wales' warning that up to half the 650 care homes in Wales are threatened with closure unless urgent action is taken.

Mr Joshi said: "The shock caused by the pandemic is so great and so big, that you run out of money very quickly. Our immediate focus has been in providing and mobilising resources for our homes with the sole purpose of protecting our residents and staff. This is at a substantial financial cost, which has to be secondary in the current battle.

“However the financial fragility gets exposed very quickly and a provider cannot sustain the program for long."

According to Mr Joshi, the Caron Group took the decision in March not to admit any new residents into Crosfield House for fear they might be importing the virus into the facility. Mr Joshi said 11 residents have died from suspected coronavirus at one of his south Wales care homes.

“Our staff have risen magnificently to the challenge. They are brave, highly skilled, professional individuals but the situation is having a huge emotional impact. Losing residents who they cared for and treated like family is a traumatic experience," he said.

“My biggest fear is that the closures will be indiscriminate and unfortunately will be the ones that are the most needed.

“There are rural based homes which are at the heart of their local community. They not only look after the elderly vulnerable citizens but are significant employers to those communities.

“What nobody has been able to answer is how we are going to be able to provide care for vulnerable people once these care homes disappear from our communities. This is something that we need to address as a matter of great urgency.”

It was a fear echoed by Mario Kreft MBE, the chair of Care Forum Wales, who said many care homes are already having to take out loans and consider imminent closure because of the “perfect storm” of spiralling costs and falling income.