Winchester and Chandler's Ford MP Steve Brine paid a visit to a Southern Cross Care Home in Chandler's Ford as the organisation prepares to transfer ownership of its 752 care homes.
The MP met with Managers, staff and residents at the home, on Winchester Road in Chandler's Ford, as news emerged that a new company called HC-One will take over the running of the Southern Cross home from the start of November this year.
In July Southern Cross announced that it was transferring all of its 752 homes, employing 44,000 people across the country, to new operators following financial restructuring which saw trading in its shares suspended.
The Chandler's Ford home will continue to be owned by its landlord NHP. It has 42 nursing beds looking after a mix of private and NHS residents; the top floor of the building is occupied by private flats and the building share a part-time warden.
Steve said: "The Southern Cross collapse has of course been big news this year and I know it caused a great deal of worry for my constituents at the Chandler's Ford Home, staff and relatives. I wanted to visit myself once the transfer of ownership was clear and meet the team who do such good work for some of my most vulnerable constituents.
"I am of course pleased this home has a new operator, which is still not the case for a number of Southern Cross properties, but I think it is vital to keep a very close eye on things over the next few months. At the end of the day the landlord remains the same and the question I have posed to HC-One is how they can make it work where Southern Cross could not. I want to be sure there are no nasty surprises further down the road for staff or residents at the Chandler's Ford Care Home.
"This home, unlike many others in the Southern Cross portfolio, is unusual in that it has a split between the nursing home and the private owner-occupier flats on the top floor. I want to be sure there position is secure going forward as well."
Steve has written to the Chairman of Court Cavendish, Dr Chai Patel.
Steve Brine is pictured above with Christine Stiney, the manager of the care home.
More information...
Court Cavendish wrote to care home staff and families at the end of August 2011 introducing themselves as the new operators of the Chandler's Ford Care Home. Court Cavendish are a company specialising in the turnaround of health and social care providers. A subsidiary of the company is HC-One, as mentioned above. www.courtcavendish.com