John
Aird House Still Faces Closure
Executive
Committee Reject Overview Panels Recommendations and Remains Firm
With Initial Decision
After what many people hoped would be a reprieve, the closure of
John Aird House is still set to go ahead. The Council Executive
Committee rejected recommendations by the Overview and Scrutiny
Committee and reconfirmed their initial decision to shut the home
down.
They also dismissed the option to allow the existing residents to
remain whilst using any spare beds for respite care. Therefore,
only the High Court can now save the residential home for elderly
patients.
The residents' lawyer will now make a claim for compensation for
each resident under articles 2 and 3 of the European Convention
of Human Rights, concerning what she sees as a threat to their lives
caused by the upset of a move.
Councillor Lal, a member of the Executive Committee stated �If at
any stage the residents are deemed as not being able to move, by
their GP or managers, then we will wait until they are fit enough.
One of the underlying things is that on no account can this be rushed.
We must act with compassion.'
'
He added the decision to close one home in the borough came after
a Best Value Review of Older People's services highlighting a trend
away from residential care to nursing home places.
The decision has caused uproar in the local Labour ranks, and created
a split between the east and west ends, according to the Chair of
the Isleworth ward, Vanessa Smith, who reportedly blasted her party's
leadership as politically inept', and said the decision would take
a large toll on the Labour group at the next elections. Mrs Smith
and friend Pat Nicholas lost their seats at the last elections after
losing votes to the ICG who were campaigning against the closure
of the Isleworth Day Care Centre. The ICG are currently campaigning
to save John Aird House, and Mrs Smith believes a repeat could happen.
She also criticised the Executive for being inexperienced - on the
same day that it was revealed that lead members Parmod Kad (Best
Value) and Ilyas Khwaja (Regeneration), announced they would step
down from their roles.
Also publicly expressing outrage is Gareth Evans, a member of RAGE
Hounslow, who has issued a formal complaint to Mr Michael Smith,
Borough Solicitor, London Borough of Hounslow.
The basis of the complaint is that Mr Evans believes that the technical
report into the structure of John Aird House presented to the Executive
is fundamentally flawed. Furthermore Mr Evans believes that it is
grossly negligent for lead officers of the council to present a
report which misleads the Executive and councillors.
At a meeting of the Overview & Scrutiny committee - The Acting
Director advised the Overview & Scrutiny committee that the
technical review was based upon the Registered Homes Act 1984, while
Jan Robson from Technical Services advised that the review her department
carried out was against the Care Standards Act 2000.
Mr Evans stated "It is disgraceful that the Social Services
can't even decide upon what which piece of legislation they are
using to justify the closure of John Aird House. It is lunacy to
expect councillors to decide upon the future of the elderly and
frail residents of this care home when they are not given the full
facts."
If Mr Michael Smith fails to address the complaint to the satisfaction
of Mr Evans, Mr Evans intends to raise the matter with the Secretary
of State through the Standards Board
May
19, 2003
Scrutiny
Panel suggest compromise on John Aird House
Support
escalates for threatened home for the elderly
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