Leak reveals one in seven former Southern Cross homes lack a manager

Published on Saturday 6 August 2011 11:45

ONE in seven care homes formerly owned by Southern Cross is without a manager, according to a leaked update on the properties owned by the collapsed firm. The "contingency update", obtained by Labour, shows that 14 of the 97 care homes concerned do not have a permanent person in charge.

Those affected include four homes in Aberdeen, two in Stirling, and one each in Angus, Dundee, East Ayrshire, Falkirk, the Highlands, North Lanarkshire, Perth and Kinross, and South Lanarkshire.

The update also shows that a further 13 homes have a manager in post who has been doing the job for less than three months. And in a third of the homes, there are concerns about profitability which, Labour claimed, raises questions over their future viability at a time when new owners are being sought. They repeated calls for SNP ministers to lay out fresh plans to ensure that the care for elderly people in those homes affected is not damaged by the fall-out.

Southern Cross wound up its operations last month after being unable to pay its bills to landlords who own its care homes. It has handed all of its 750 homes it runs back to the landlords, including around 100 homes in Scotland.

Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon has given an assurance that ministers and local government will ensure that ongoing care is laid on for all residents affected.

But Labour claims that ministers are leaving too much to local authorities and need to come up with a contingency plan to guarantee the future of all homes, no matter their profitability.

On the lack of managers, Labour's health spokeswoman Jackie Baillie said: "Not only are care home managers crucial in driving up standards of care at this turbulent time, they have a key role to play in ensuring a smooth transition over to new care providers. So to see so many care homes without managers is deeply worrying."

She added: "Just because somebody's mum or dad is staying in a care home that isn't making money doesn't mean they should suffer as a result - the government has a duty to step in.

"It's simply not good enough for the SNP government to take a back seat and leave Scotland's 32 different local authorities to pick up the pieces."

A spokesman for the Scottish government said: "Progress is being made by all parties in their work to resolve the situation facing Southern Cross in a way which ensures stability and continuity of service."