Edinburgh council elections 2022: What the parties are saying on shocking care home closures in the Capital

Controversial plans to close four council-run care homes, put on hold until after the local elections, could depend in part on the outcome of today’s voting.

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The move shocked staff, residents and their families when it was announced in June last year and unions complained about an absence of consultation. Care bosses said the four homes – Clovenstone, Ford’s Road in Gorgie, Ferrylee in Leith and Jewel House in Bingham – no longer met required standards.

A fifth, newer home, Drumbrae, has already shut as a care home and become a complex care assessment unit operated by the NHS.

The other closures were postponed for consultation and then put on hold due to the crisis in social care caused by a massive staff shortages and the impact of Covid.

Although the decision will be made by the Edinburgh Integration Joint Board (EIJB), which is responsible for health and social care in the Capital, it is made up of representatives from the council and NHS Lothian. Care union Unison has campaigned to keep the homes open and has highlighted to members the parties' different manifesto policies along with advice to "use their votes wisely".

Labour came out strongly against the closures in September last year and its manifesto pledges to “keep council care homes open, and start a programme of upgrading to meet the most up-to-date standards”. It also promises to “expand council provision of long-term care, including building new care homes where needed and acquiring care homes from private providers”.

The SNP also indicated it wanted to refurbish the four homes to meet standards if possible and, if not, build new council-owned homes. Its manifesto says the party would “increase publicly-owned provision of care homes, including new council-owned facilities”.

Ford's Road care home. Photo: Ian Georgeson

SNP group leader Adam McVey said: “We are committing in this election to doing all we can to increase the proportion of care that is publicly owned, run for public good. This will include progressing business cases for new council-owned care homes, re-examining EIJB plans to reduce public ownership while ensuring standards are met, and even considering opportunities to take on currently privately run facilities if possible."

The Greens’ manifesto says they would “ensure the majority of care-at-home and care home services were provided by the public and voluntary sectors” and also take every opportunity to “bring private care-at-home and care home services in-house”.

Green EIJB member Melanie Main said: "What is most important is we have homes that are fit for purpose and we do need to increase the capacity over time so that more of that is being delivered by the council. If that means replacing them, that's the direction we need to go in.”

Lib Dem group leader Robert Aldridge said he did not want to prejudge the consultation. “We would listen to the outcome of the consultation with all of those affected, including the staff, the residents and the residents' families, to get to the best solution.”

Jewel House care home. Photo: Greg Macvean

Tory group leader Iain Whyte said he wanted “much more information” before taking a view since the discussions so far had been at the EIJB. “The paramount thing would be how people would be cared for going forward.” On public-sector provision, he said: “We look for the best provision for Edinburgh residents, wherever that comes from.”

Unison assistant branch secretary Gerry Stovin said the union wanted the council to retain the current capacity offered by the homes. There should be a programme of replacement, with refurbishment in the meantime for those which would be later in that programme.

And he said the parties backing such an approach had to follow up their manifesto promises with money. “There's nothing in the council’s capital budget for the refurbishment or replacement of care homes. Words are fine, but we need some money to be allocated to that budget to get building work going."