141 people living in Southern Cross homes in Londonderry will be protected: Poots

TWO hundred and seventy care home residents living in seven Southern Cross managed nursing homes in the Western Trust (WHSCT) - including three in Londonderry and two in Strabane - will be protected, according to the Health Minister Edwin Poots.

The Minister said his officials were working closely with the Health and Social Care Board (HSCB) to ensure that contingency plans are in place to cover a range of potential outcomes from the current negotiations to put Southern Cross on a more secure financial footing.

The firm’s current difficulties follow its 2007 decision to list itself on the London Stock Exchange, sell most of its property freeholds and then lease them back

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One hundred and forty one residents are housed in Southern Cross managed homes in Londonderry. Forty-five live in the Longfield Care Centre, 53 in the Culmore Manor Care Centre, and 43 in the Greenhaw Lodge Care Centre.

Sixty seven live in two separately registered homes - Melmount Manor Care Centre (56) and Sperrins Care Centre (11) - in Strabane.

And twenty-six live in the Three Rivers Centre in Omagh whilst thirty-six live in the Ashbrooke Care Centre in Enniskillen.

Mr Poots advised there were seven residential care and nursing homes managed by Southern Cross in WHSCT area in response to an Assembly Question.

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Asked what arrangements were in place to secure the future of residents and staff of the 25 care homes owned by Southern Cross across Northern Ireland the Minister said his officials were working closely with the HSC Board to ensure that contingency plans were in place to cover a range of potential outcomes from the current negotiations to put Southern Cross on a more secure financial footing.

He stated: “I appreciate that this will also be a time of some anxiety for those who work in Southern Cross homes providing care to vulnerable residents.

“While clearly the company needs to take steps to put itself into a more secure and viable financial position, it would be inappropriate of me to comment directly on potential realignment of staffing.”

The Health Minister also gave assurances that there are clear protections in place to cover the interests of the residents of all nursing and residential homes.

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“Members may be aware that last week Southern Cross and its landlords agreed to work towards a consensual solution to the Company’s current financial problems, to be delivered over the next four months, and issued a statement that gave a clear assurance that there will be no closures in that period.

“My Officials are working closely with the HSC Board to ensure that contingency plans are in place to cover the full range of potential outcomes from the current negotiations to put Southern Cross on a more secure financial footing.

“My conversation last Wednesday (June 22) with a Department of Health Minister underlined the importance of all four administrations staying in close touch, while ensuring that the resolution of this matter takes account of residents and families in NI, as well as Scotland, Wales and England,” he stated.