Care home trouble could leave 30,000 homeless

Uncertainty surrounded the future of Southern Cross care homes across the Midlands today – as David Cameron was urged to intervene.

A charity warned today that lives could be put at risk by the cash crisis facing the operator, which has 20 homes in the Black Country and five in Staffordshire.

The company, which has 30,000 residents nationwide, is blaming rising rent bills and declining council fees as fewer councils place residents with the company for its financial problems.

Ross Altmann, director general of over-50s charity Saga, said today lives could be at risk if Southern Cross collapses and called for David Cameron to intervene.

The firm has called on its landlords to accept a 30 per cent cut in rent to help it tackle the issue.

But today it emerged landlords including Four Seasons and Bondcare were preparing to take control of the care homes themselves.

A significant number of Southern Cross's 80 landlords are also understood to be ditch the company and seek alternative operators for their care homes.

A source at a major landlord, who asked not to be named, said: "We are among a fair few who will not allow them to unilaterally drop rents as we know our units are all profitable and we have no desire to subsidise a busted business.

"My sense of responsibility is that I do not want old people to be looked after by this lot. I want another operator to run the homes properly."

A spokesman for the landlords' committee, which is being led by accountants Grant Thornton, said: "The priority remains ensuring continuity of care."

Regional sites owned by firm

South Staffordshire

Chaseview Care Home, Water Street, Chase Terrace, Burntwood; Hornegarth House, Walsall Road, Great Wyrley.

Maple Court Care Home, Rotherwood Drive, Rowley Park, Stafford; Maple Lodge, Rotherwood Drive, Rowley Park, Stafford.

Black Country

Aldergrove Manor, Penn Road, Wolverhampton; Ash Grange, Valley Road, Bloxwich, Walsall; Ashbourne, Lightwood Road, Dudley.

Ashgrove, Dudley Wood Road, Netherton; Bellevue Court, Woodcross Street, Woodcross, Wolverhampton.

Crown Meadow, Bayleys Lane, Great Bridge Tipton; Dingle Meadow, Golden Crest Drive, Oldbury. Dovedale Court, Holyhead Road, Wednesbury; Fernwood Court, Bentley, Walsall; Holbeche House, Wolverhampton Road, Wall Heath. Lyndon Hall, Malvern Close, West Bromwich; Redbrick Court, High Street, Wordsley; Regis House, Causeway Rowley Regis.

Riverside, Wolverhampton Road, Wall Heath; Roxburgh House, Reddall Hill Road, Cradley Heath; Rushall, Lichfield Road, Rushall, Walsall; Swan House, Pooles Lane, Short Heath, Willenhall; The Gables, Wolverhampton Road, Oldbury.

Trinity House, Mace Street, Cradley Heath; Woodcross, Reeves Street, Bloxwich, Walsall; Wyncroft House, Moss Grove, Kingswinford.

Birmingham

Acocks Green, Warwick Road, Acocks Green; Beech House, Victoria Road, Stechford; Beeton Grange, Beeton Road, Winson Green; Bramley Court Care Home, School Road, Yardley Wood; Heartlands, Broadstone Road, Yardley.

Heath House, Walkers Heath Road, Kings Norton; Hodge Hill Grange, Coleshill Road, Hodge Hill; Ivybank, Middleton Hall Road, Kings Norton; Millwater, Waterloo Road, Hay Mills, Yardley. Oaklands, Oakland Road, Moseley; Selly Park, Oakfield Road, Selly Park; St Martha's, Victoria Road, Stechford; The Orchards, Shard End Crescent, Shard End; The Royd, Selbourne Road, Handsworth Wood.

Wyre Forest

Bryden House Care Home, Marlpool Road, Kidderminster.