Statement by TUV Leader Jim Allister:-
“A consultation on the how, not the why, of residential care home closures will not satisfactorily or fairly address the issues. The pre-determined reiteration that at least 50% of homes will close, whatever the merits or local needs, further suggests this latest consultation is another farce.
“A consultation supposedly to set criteria for closures, in circumstances where the Minister maintains a ban on new admissions, means homes so starved of residents are easy pickings. In the Northern Trust area there are no new admissions, so how can these homes defend themselves?
“It is only by lifting the embargo on new admissions that a fair and genuine consultation exercise can be conducted. Otherwise, it will continue to be closure by stealth. Little wonder some residents have expressed a renewed sense of betrayal.”
