UNISON notches up a win in battle for care homes

UNISON has marked a victory in its fight for staff and residents at two Southampton council-owned care homes, with the council’s decision ‘in principle’ to keep one open and promise no compulsory redundancies. Last year, the council proposed closing the last two care homes it owns, Glen Lee and Holcroft House, from April 2020, in a bid to save £31.3m a year. The homes employ 85 staff and house around 50 vulnerable elderly adults. But when it started a public consultation on the plans in October, UNISON Southampton deputy branch secretary Claire Ransom pointed to the example of Reading. The Berkshire council closed its homes, in favour of contracting the service to private firms, which it believed would provide the same service for less money. But as Ms Ransom explained: “When Reading’s homes were closed, the fees charged to the council went up. This put huge pressure on budgets and meant planned savings didn’t happen. Southampton must not make the same mistake.” The branch also launched and co-ordinated a petition against the closures on the council’s website, attracting 2,565 signatures. As well as asking for the homes to be kept open, this urged the council to reaffirm its commitment to UNISON’s Ethical Care Charter and Residential Care Charter, which it signed in May 2018. Ms Ransom presented the petition to a full council meeting in November, alongside campaigner Debbie Edmonds, whose mother is a resident at one of the homes. Now the council has changed...
Source: UNISON meat hygiene - Category: Food Science Authors: Tags: Article care care homes local government residential care residential care homes Source Type: news