GSD Backs UNITE Call for Transparency on Rooke & Mount Alvernia

GSD Backs UNITE Call for Transparency on Rooke & Mount Alvernia

The statement issued by Unite the Union about the lack of dialogue and transparency in relation to the future of Elderly Residential Services generally, and the Rooke Elderly Residential site in particular, mirrors the experience of the GSD in parliament.

“We have quite frankly faced a stone wall when we do to drill down as to the intention and plans of the Government” said GSD MP Daniel Feetham KC. It is not surprising that there are concerns about the direction of travel of public services and whether the true intentions of the Government is to privatise all or some of the services carried out by the ERS. No one should be in any doubt as to our position. We oppose privatisation of the ERS or the services it offers and if that is the direction of travel, it is the result of many years of financial mismanagement by the Government, which we have been drawing attention to for the last ten years or a move to contractorise this service in an opaque way without full debate.

It is also unclear what the Government intend to do with the Mount Alvernia site if residents are transferred to the new Rooke residential home. The Minister has already said that the Rooke site will “eventually replace” Mount Alvernia even though he says the residents will not be forced there and have an option. Whether the standard of care will be the same as in the current site is also unclear. We can well understand that staff are concerned about this lack of clarity on the impact on their jobs. Finally and with respect whilst the Minister responsible has not been well and we all wish him a speedy recovery, someone else within the Government could have met with Unite in order to deal with their legitimate concerns and those of their members. Increasingly this appears to be a tired and out of touch Government.”