Meeting with staff held at Woodside - 8 January 2004

Present: David Smallacombe, Ainslie Saunders, Sarah Shatwell, Yvonne Case, Richard Gurney, Joy Davis, Chris Price, Ketrine Cooper, Vanessa Marsh, Jean Moggridge, Judith Eagles, Lisa Rosser, Lisa May, Debbie Johnson, Debbie Rosser, Rita Hampton, Una Davis-Dixon, Sue Cook, Helen Boyton, Karen Chee, Lorraine Smith, Ann Twidale

David Smallacombe (DS) asked everyone to introduce themselves and explained that the purpose of the meeting was to talk to staff, bring them up to date with the process of consultation about possible closure and to listen to their views. DS acknowledged that at the original meeting in 2002 he had said there would be `no interim move'; the plan at the time was to build all the new homes and have the residents at Woodside move directly to one of them.

DS made it clear that because that was the plan at the time he had not misled staff or residents; however since then there have been significant changes. For example vacancies in the homes over the last 12 months or more have been running at 15% which results in unfilled beds and therefore higher unit costs and loss of income. Recruiting staff has been difficult resulting in the need to use excessive numbers of agency staff. The cost of employing agency staff is high which has led to budgets being overspent to a seriously high level.

The senior management team, in trying to minimise the impact of an overspent budget, looked at what could be done differently to help manage the financial situation and make best use of the limited revenue funds it has. One of the possibilities being considered is the potential closure of two residential homes. DS invited questions from those present.

Q. What has changed at Woodside since 2002? We are still running at almost full capacity and have carried other homes in the past

A. Occupancy is running at 85% throughout the group overall

Q. Some of the vacancies here have been caused by natural wastage such as retirement and maternity leave, why have existing staff and casuals not been offered extra hours and any applicants told there are no jobs?

A. This certainly could be looked at, but it would be temporary hours only