Issue - meetings

To consider any requests received in accordance with Standing Orders.

Deputation 1 – Unison – Chris Taylor

Mr Taylor spoke, on behalf of Unison, in opposition to the closure of Osborne Grove Nursing Home. Mr Taylor expressed that management were using the earliest opportunity, following the CQC [Care Quality Commission] “requires improvement” rating, to close Osborne Grove Nursing Home and to re - provide the nursing facility with an external provider. The new staff would be employed on lower wages and lower working conditions. Mr Taylor expressed that to close Osborne Grove Nursing Home would leave staff, who were mainly women and from a BAME background, without employment. Furthermore, the closure would lead to vulnerable residents having to be moved, causing undue distress and disruption to their daily lives. Mr Taylor expressed that this action was not needed, if the residential nursing home was likely to be to be re-opened, providing nursing care beds.

Mr Taylor contended that the CQC had not required the Council to close Osborne Grove Nursing Home and there had been significant improvements made, since the earlier CQC inspection findings. In Mr Taylor’s view, the CQC findings on the failings of the home, were related to senior management and governance failures. Mr Taylor, on behalf of Unison, contended that the issues with staff at the home had been exaggerated.

Mr Taylor referred to the CQC report from February 2017 where the only standard at the home rated as “good” was for caring. This was the standard that related mostly to the actions of the front line staff in the Nursing Home. He spoke favourably of staff interactions with clients and carers. He felt that there was no reason why the Nursing Home could not remain open, continuing to take forward the improvements made.

Mr Taylor further questioned how meaningful the consultation had been, given that only one option of closure had been put forward.

The decision to close Osborne Grove would consequently make staff redundant and this action conflicted with employment law, including TUPE. Mr Taylor called for Cabinet, to not close Osborne Grove. He appealed for this Nursing Home to be either run by the Council or be managed in partnership with the NHS, keeping vulnerable residents living in the Home whilst continuing improvements.

Mr Taylor further reflected that, if an elderly resident was living in a house that was not good, the Council would work to improve this. Therefore, Mr Taylor felt that the same principle should apply to Osborne Grove.

The Leader sought Mr Taylor’s view on the current overspend of £1m on the home, in light of the care quality issues and the pressing financial issues. Mr Taylor questioned whether this money was well spent as there were basic failures identified in the home which, in his view, were compounded by lack of management oversight and inconsistent audits. Mr Taylor contended that with improved processes and proper management oversight, issues at the home could have been resolved without the high level of financial investment. Also the cost of the home had increased  ...  view the full minutes text for item 122