Derbyshire County Council’s closure of eight care homes has left elderly residents and staff who look after them to bear the consequences of months of poor decision-making by authority bosses.
The Reform UK-controlled council has confirmed it will shut the homes after a failed attempt to sell them to a private provider.
It flies in the face of public feeling and repeated warnings from unions, families and campaigners, says UNISON.
The council had promised residents and staff a “smooth transition”, but months of delays and unanswered questions have left relatives and workers finding out the worst just days before Christmas, the union says.
UNISON has opposed the closures from the very start, leading protests, organising public meetings and urging the council to rethink plans it says risk uprooting vulnerable residents and breaking up experienced care teams.
UNISON East Midlands regional organiser Dave Ratchford said: “This is a devastating blow for residents, families and staff. It should never have come to this.
“We are urging the Leader of the Council, Alan Graves, to intervene and stop these closures before irreversible damage is done. There is still time to rethink this approach and protect residents who rely on stable, familiar care and staff who have dedicated their working lives to supporting them.”
UNISON Derbyshire branch secretary Martin Porter said: “The council still hasn’t answered some basic questions. It hasn’t said whether they were other bidders or why the process didn’t restart when it was clear things had gone wrong.
“There’s also confusion about whether residents will be able to move to a care home of their own choosing.
“People have been left hanging for months, and now they’re being told to face upheaval and uncertainty at the worst possible time of year. That’s simply not acceptable.”
Notes to editors:
– The homes affected are Briar Close (Borrowash), Castle Court (Swadlincote), The Grange (Eckington), Lacemaker Court (Long Eaton), The Leys (Ashbourne), New Bassett House (Shirebrook), Rowthorne (Swanwick) and Thomas Colledge House (Bolsover).
– UNISON is the UK’s largest union, with more than 1.3 million members providing public services in education, local government, the NHS, police service and energy. They are employed in the public, voluntary and private sectors.
