Social work chief insists council is working to keep people informed on care homes

Social work chiefs in Fife have denied claims staff and relatives of care home residents were deliberately left out of meetings discussing the future of the region’s residential care provision.

Labour councillor Kay Morrison, a member of the social work and health committee, suggested on Friday that council employees and family members had been excluded from certain meetings at which the issue was debated.

The claim came after the council decided it will seek to close all 10 of the care homes it runs and transfer residents to the private or not-for-profit sector.

However Rona Laing, social work head of service, said, “Obviously change of any kind is upsetting for all those involved and we have done what we can throughout this process to keep staff and families fully informed on any updates.

“Immediately following the committee meeting last Thursday, I and other senior managers visited our care homes to talk informally to staff and these meetings will be followed up by a letter to all staff and a series of meetings with managers and trade unions next week.

“We have also written to the families of all our residents to invite them to a series of meetings the following week.

“We have been making every effort to communicate and we are just now at the start of a conversation which will continue over the next few weeks and months as this process continues.”

A special meeting of Fife Council is due to be held next Tuesday to revisit the decision to privatise residential care home provision, following anger from some councillors about how the decision was taken.

Campaigners and councillors opposed to the closure decision hope to persuade the SNP/Lib Dem administration into a U-turn over the issue.

The council has insisted the deteriorating condition of its care homes and the financial climate has left it with no choice but to turn to the private or not-for-profit sector.

Assurances have also been given that no homes will close until alternative accommodation is available, which could take several years.

Councillor Morrison said she believed council-run homes were of superior quality to other providers, especially with regard to meeting elderly residents’ needs and wishes.

She also argued residential care should not “centre on making a profit” and that residents should be treated with dignity and respect.