Southern Cross Impact
Southern Cross, Britain’s largest care home provider is to be broken up after attempts to rescue the company failed. It has 750 homes across the country, 9 in Berkshire with 2 in Slough and 2 in RBWM. Southern Cross has said that 250 homes will be transferred to landlords who are care providers already or ‘have strong links’ with firms who provide such services. The future of the 500 others is more uncertain and they could be sold off.
Tracey Morgan, Chief Executive, Age Concern Slough and Berkshire east said “Local Councils are apparently working on contingency plans. We encourage a collaborative approach and will work hard, where we can, to help to maintain continuity. The last thing these vulnerable older people want is to be forced to move. It is hoped that alternative landlords will be found so that the homes can continue with minimum disruption.”
“A broader concern is how we got into this situation and the fear that with new tendering processes we could see many more large commercial profit making companies sweeping in to win local care contracts or services. There is no local accountability or reputation. You know what to expect from services run by Age Concern Slough and Berkshire East. If all that really matters is cheapest unit cost, local charities and businesses will not be able to compete with big companies like this who we later find cannot deliver the services people want and need.”
“This has come as no great surprise. Their business model was fundamentally flawed. Sadly, ACSABE has dealt with safeguarding cases in some of these Southern Cross homes, over the years. The poor care quality and lack of investment has been known for some time yet increasingly councils are only interested in the cheapest bidder. These days, safeguarding is high on statutory agendas and the Government is talking of making Safeguarding Boards obligatory for every council, the whole ethos is compromised by the impact of budget constraints and the obsession with driving down costs. Councils know full well that they are underfunding care for older people and that care is compromised if you drive down costs to a point where quality cannot be afforded.”
“There seems to have been a weighting in favour of these great big national or regional companies and we have already seen some great, smaller independent homes go out of business because they cannot run their homes or pay and train their staff adequately on the rates paid by the council. Others will only take people who can pay for themselves. Councils really should reconsider before it is too late and they lose good local providers”
“The position for our local homes is unclear, at this stage. Our Residential Advocates, funded by Comic Relief ,have offered to support any local resident or their family, living in any of our Southern Cross Homes and we are urging people not to panic. For support or advice, contact Karen Gilchrist on 01753 822890.”
