On Wednesday Southern Cross Healthcare Group, who run four care homes in Dundee, announced 3000 compulsory redundancies to be spread throughout their UK operations. On Thursday there was speculation that some of these care homes may shut down or be taken over by other private care home companies. As the crisis in the Southern Cross Healthcare Group deepens, many families will be worried about the future of their loved ones who are residents at the four care homes Southern Cross run in Dundee.
I have already been approached by one of my constituents who is concerned about the adequacy of care at the Pitkerro Road Care Centre, because it is hard not to believe that staff redundancies will mean there are fewer staff and therefore reduced levels of care. Not only will all these homes be coping with fewer staff, but doubts about a potential change of ownership and loss of employment may also undermine staff morale.
The residents of these homes are some of the most vulnerable in the city and it's because they need care and protection they are in such establishments. In the Scottish Parliament on Thursday, Labour's Jackie Baillie called for the appointment of an national champion for older people to promote the rights of older people and to help sort out this mess. She also called for the SNP's cut to be reversed in the budgets of the new organisations that inspect care home establishments. But here is Dundee we already have an Older People's Champion for the City - Councillor Ken Lynn, and a Convener of Social Work - Councillor Jim Barrie and a Director of Social Work. Why has there been a deafening silence from them? I think it is time they publicly acknowledged this potential crisis in care and let us know their contingency plans if the Southern Cross Healthcare Group collapses.