Protesters demand council rethinks shutdown of seven care homes

Protestors have demonstrated outside local authority offices to oppose the proposed closure of seven Derbyshire County Council-run care homes.

‘Save Our Care Homes’ campaigners gathered outside the authority’s headquarters in Matlock, to oppose council proposals to shut down seven care homes, which the council argues need repairs costing £30m.

'No longer fit for purpose'

Derby County Council has stated: 'Even if the repairs costing £30 million were carried out...the homes are no longer fit for purpose and do not have the space, facilities or capability to be adapted to provide high quality care for older people with increasingly complex needs.

'This is due to people going into residential care later which means they are often frailer.'

A robust campaign last year saw the council ditch its proposal to close the care homes in West Hallam, Clowne, Tibshelf, Brimington, New Mills, Bakewell and Sandiacre, but the council’s decision to publish new proposals to shut the homes, has brought the public out again in protest.

Mick Coppin, GMB Midland and East Coast trade union organiser, which represents care workers, said: “Is this Groundhog Day?

“Last year, at the height of the worst public health emergency Derbyshire has seen since the second world war, Derbyshire County Council tried to close care homes in the county.

“This put hundreds of jobs at risk, as well as putting at risk a much loved and well used public service from communities up and down the county.

“These plans were rightly scrapped after local people and care home workers spoke out.”

Public urged to sign petition to save care homes

A petition against the closures demands the council ‘step-back from the implied threat to the other 16 care homes, which are owned and run by the council’.

‘We urge you to end closure speculation as this undermines the confidence of staff teams that each care home has built up.’

Once the petition reaches 7,500 signatures, the issue can go to full council for debate. To date (7 December) 785 people have signed the petition.

The public are being encouraged to get behind care staff and sign the petition now to raise enough signatures to help save the homes.

To sign the petition, visit: bit.ly/SaveOurCareHomes.