Battle to save homes

THE battle is on to save Crozier House in Banbridge and Skeagh House in Dromore.
Upper Bann MP David Simpson along with Councillors Jim McElroy and Junior McCrum at Crozier House. INBL1713-CROZIERUpper Bann MP David Simpson along with Councillors Jim McElroy and Junior McCrum at Crozier House. INBL1713-CROZIER
Upper Bann MP David Simpson along with Councillors Jim McElroy and Junior McCrum at Crozier House. INBL1713-CROZIER

Upper Bann Member of Parliament, David Simpson and colleagues have called on the Southern Health and Social Care Trust Board to reconsider their decision to close all five of the statutory residential homes in the Trust area.

Mr Simpson said: “Crozier House is the only one of its kind in Banbridge it offers a superb service and excellent care, provided by dedicated staff, for elderly people who are unable to remain at home.

“Whilst I understand that there is to be a consultation on the future provision of residential care in the area, I would like this to be a genuine and meaningful consultation to include the residents and their families

“I shall be seeking an urgent meeting with the Trust to discuss the fall out of this decision and the associated difficulties in the area.”

A public meeting is in the pipeline organised by the Skeagh House Action Committee, which is seeking a string of assurances from Southern Health Trust chiefs.

Not least among them is that the Trust itself recognises any decision to close Banbridge’s Crozier House and Dromore’s Skeagh House “will be a very retrograde step in terms of present and future provision of services for older people”.

“Consultation with residents is meaningless if there is no willingness by the Trust to change its policy in the light of the findings of a consultation,” said the committee’s Carol Black and Louis Boyle in a joint statement.