Pressure is mounting on Derbyshire County Council to rethink plans to close eight care homes after local MPs met with families affected by the decision.
MPs Jonathan Davies, Louise Sandher-Jones, Samantha Niblett and Toby Perkins met with relatives of residents and care home staff on Friday 30 January to hear about the distress and uncertainty being caused by the proposed closures. All four MPs back UNISON’s campaign to save the homes.
The Reform UK-controlled council wants to close eight of its care homes, despite strong public opposition and warnings from unions, families and campaigners about the impact on vulnerable residents and staff, says UNISON.
Campaigners will be protesting against the closures outside County Hall in Matlock at 1pm on Wednesday 11 February.
The union has discovered that a buyer is ready to keep The Grange care home in Eckington open, which the union says would be far better than forcing residents to move. But the council is refusing to approve the deal unless the company agrees to take on the other seven homes.
North East Derbyshire MP Louise Sandher-Jones said: “Hearing staff from The Grange speak with such passion about the residents they care for was humbling. This home is at the heart of Eckington in North East Derbyshire, and families are deeply worried about its future.
“I have been fighting from the start for transparency and accountability from the county council, and it’s clear that short-term thinking risks residents and the community losing a precious asset. We must fight these plans.”
UNISON Derbyshire branch secretary Martin Porter said: “People are angry, but they’re also desperate for common sense to prevail. If there’s a way to keep homes like The Grange open, that must be better than shutting the doors and forcing residents to move.
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.
