Campaigners slam Surrey care home closures

By The Press Association11th March 2015News EnglandCare Homes, Closure, News England, Older People, Surrey

A council has been attacked for pressing ahead with plans to close six care homes for elderly people.

Surrey County Council’s cabinet took the next step to close the final six authority-run homes in the county, where hundreds of elderly residents live.

A protest was held outside the meeting by scores of campaigners from groups including the GMB union.

Frank Minal of the GMB accused officers of not listening to the concerns of the public or staff, adding: “It makes common sense to maintain a council provision to keep costs down, not only for the council but for the taxpayer.

“Add that to the uncertainty of finding suitable provision for those elderly people in the six homes affected and the long term impact this will have on the 437 workers currently employed or may be made redundant.”

A council spokesman said: “The most important thing is to make sure older people receive the very best care. We’re helping many more people stay in their own homes safely until much later in life.

“Increasingly they require almost constant nursing when they do go into care and our homes can no longer continue to cope with their needs.”