Although a Local Authority would generally not take any steps to implement a closure prior to an ‘in principle’ decision being made, the position is totally different immediately after the decision is taken. This is typically what has happened across the country:
Union support to oppose the closure evaporates and staff are actively engaged in discussions about redeployment and redundancy.
Staff are told not to speak to residents, relatives or the press about continuing opposition to closure.
Relatives and residents are given the message by the Local Authority that opposition to closure cannot possibly win.
The Local Authority will assure relatives that risk will be minimised.
The Local Authority tell relatives that they are extremely concerned that the resident is becoming stressed and it is better to find them a new home immediately so as to bring this stress to an end.
Relatives are told that their resident can move to another home with their friendship group but that the places cannot be held open so that if they do not accept immediately they are at risk of being isolated from their friends.
Often residents will be reassessed as needing nursing care or specialist dementia care so will be moved anyway.
No comments:
Post a Comment