Reassurance swift as care firm collapses

RESIDENTS in two Oldham care homes run by troubled Southern Cross are being reassured they will continue to get care after today’s bombshell news that the company will close.

Troubled Southern Cross Healthcare made the shock announcement after the landlords of its properties abandoned the company.

The group, which has 752 homes and 31,000 residents, has been locked in negotiations over a restructuring of the group’s property arrangements, but following the landlords’ decision it is now working on a plan to facilitate the transition of homes to new landlords and their new operators.

It is the UK’s biggest care homes provider, and runs Treelands in Fitton Hill and Avalon Care Home, Oldham.

Councillor Phil Harrison, Oldham’s cabinet member for adults, social care and health, said: “Whatever happens to Southern Cross, we will make sure residents are looked after.

“Even if it comes to the worst-case scenario of the homes closing and residents moving, any transition will be carried out professionally to the satisfaction of residents and their families.”

He added: “We have done it before and it was successful, and we currently work with Housing 21 where people are moving out while their properties are modernised.”

Councillor Harrison, who met Southern Cross managers two weeks ago, said the council had stopped signposting people to the two homes.

He said a wing of Treelands had been closed down, and both homes had a number of empty beds.

Southern Cross said that, to ensure continuity of care to residents, all payments to trade creditors are to be maintained and all home–based staff transferred on their current terms.

It added that it is expected the existing group will cease to be an operator of homes at the end of the restructuring period.