Care home under scrutiny as former Labour leader raises concerns about it with council

The former Labour Party leader is writing to convey the concerns that have been raised with him

GMB members formerly employed at Warneford Care Home in Doncaster, met with Ed Miliband Labour MP for Doncaster North, yesterday to relay the traumatic experience faced by both residents and staff when council representatives descended on the home to remove all residents without little warning or explanation in August.

Rachel Dix, GMB Organiser, said: "Ed was incredibly sympathetic, listening intently and often in disbelief, at the stories and heartbreak shared by our members and the daughter of one of the residents who asked to join our meeting with Ed by way of support for the staff at the home who she praised highly.

"Our members relayed how they witnessed in absolute shock, how upset and confused residents were when being rapidly moved to waiting ambulances having only just been told by council staff that their presence that day was in support of the home and staff and that they only had praise for the work and support of the residents by the care staff.

"They relayed that they were aware that there were concerns but understood this to be at a higher level and that such concerns were being addressed and they were reassured that nothing the staff were doing had been called into question. Many spoke of the heartbreak felt at watching 'their' residents pulled from the home that they knew and away from familiar faces and trusted support." 

Ed Miliband said 'he was so sorry for what the residents, staff and relatives had gone through and that he would write to the council to convey what had been raised with him', which in the main were rebuttals to a recent council communication as to the rationale for the removal of residents and the distress witnessed. 

Rachel Dix has accepted an invite from the authority to attend a forum to explore 'lessons that can be learned'. 

Continuing Rachel Dix said: "Ed was very interested to get abreast of these discussions and I have promised to keep him updated. We want answers, we want accountability and we want an apology. But most of all, we want reassurances that there will be no further systematic failures that result in our elderly and vulnerable being treated in this way." 

"We have a responsibility as a society to value and respect all reliant on social care and ensure they get the best, including the committed care staff who in this instance have been cast aside and their experience and compassion lost to the sector forever." 

GMB is currently seeking to recover wages, notice and redundancy for their 32 members dismissed as a result of the authority's actions at the home.