Southern Cross care home staff worried about future

The care giant has been in financial difficulties for some months, and shareholders will lose any money invested in the company, which sold off the properties it owned after being floated on the stock market, and now rents homes from private landlords.

The company said its top priority was “continuity of care” for the residents in its 752 homes across the country.

Neo Brooks, manager at the Kirby House care home in Dunstable, which looks after adults with learning disabilities, said staff were concerned about what would happen next.

“We’re worried about, but what can we do?” she said. “We were anticipating this because we had been kept informed by emails from the CEO.

“We don’t know yet what’s going to happen here but they will inform each home in the near future.

“When we were taken over by Southern Cross in 2006 nothing changed apart from the name. We are just going with the flow and making sure that our clients get the best possible care.”

No-one at Milliner House in Luton or Swiss Cottage in Leighton Buzzard has so far been available for comment.

Southern Cross said in a statement today that “all payments to trade creditors are to be maintained and all home-based staff transferred on their current terms”.

Company chairman Christopher Fisher said: “We are now able to begin clarifying the arrangements for the future operation of our homes. The process of change on which we are now embarking involves considerable effort on the part of our management and staff and their commitment and loyalty is much appreciated.

“We anticipate that the period of uncertainty which we have been experiencing will now draw to a close. We regret the loss of value which shareholders have experienced.”