I was really glad that our last full council meeting unanimously agreed to back the motion which I was honoured to move with Bailie Jean McFadden’s support.  I am really grateful that Jean seconded the motion because I know this is a cause dear to both of us. When my friend Peter was receiving his dialysis treatment it was often next to her husband John at the same hospital.  Jean spoke movingly of John’s kidney failure and the Second Chance campaign which he set up which also called for a move to a presumed consent system for organ donations.

You can get more information about the Evening Times campaign here and you can join the organ donor register here.

The motion in full read:

Council notes:

1. That although 90% of people say they support organ donation, for lots of reasons only a quarter of the UK population is on the organ donor register; 

2. That 3 people die every day across the UK while waiting for an organ transplant; and 

3. That support for a change to a soft opt out system is backed by major charities, including the British Heart Foundation, Kidney Research UK, Diabetes UK, the Cystic Fibrosis Trust, and the British Medical Association (BMA). 

Council therefore congratulates the Evening Times on its current campaign to secure more donors and urging the Scottish Government to adopt a soft opt-out system of organ donation to address a national shortage of donors on the register. 

Council therefore agrees: 

1. To add our support to the campaign; 

2. To encourage residents, councillors and employees to join the current donor register; 

3. To publicise our support for the campaign through all council media channels; and

 4. To send a copy of this motion to all MSPs.

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I know that constituents have read about the crisis facing Southern Cross and are concerned about the potential impact upon Glasgow – below is the latest briefing supplied to Councillors from Social Work in this regard.

Briefing on the Current Position of Southern Cross

Date 3 June 2011

1.    Background

Southern Cross is the UK’s largest Care Home operator.  The provider is experiencing severe financial constraints that may lead to Administration.

2.    Glasgow Service Users

There are 8 Southern Cross care homes within Glasgow with capacity to support 497 individuals.  Currently there are 421 service users receiving support within Southern Cross’ Glasgow based Care Homes.  Glasgow City Council placed 335 of these individuals with the remaining 86 service users placed by external Local Authorities. In addition to this Glasgow City council has placed a further 176 individuals in Southern Cross Care Homes across the UK (173 out with Glasgow but within Scotland, and 3 out with Scotland). Glasgow City Council’s total spend with Southern Cross is c£10.5m (c£7m within Glasgow based services and c£3.5m out with).

3.    Business Position

None of the Southern Cross properties are owned by the provider. Rather, the company has indicated that it cannot honour the rent agreements it has with its landlords going forward. Southern Cross Senior Management met with property owners at the end of April 2011. It has intimated its intention to apply a 30% reduction in the rental charges payable to its landlords, deferred for 3 months. Consequently:

• Southern Cross is not breaching bank covenants
• Enables further negotiations concerning long term rental charges
• Enables negotiations  to take place with prospective investors

It is not clear that all of Southern Cross’ landlords are supportive of this action, the consequences of which will only become clear over time.

4.  Discussions with Southern Cross

A meeting between Glasgow City Council Social Work Services and Southern Cross took place on the 17 May 2011.  Southern Cross could not divulge details of any specific care home closures due to limitations of being a public limited company.  However, they did advise that they had collated criteria to identify Care Homes that were likely to have a “limited lifespan”.  Southern Cross intimated that none of the Glasgow Care homes fit the “limited life” criteria.

A National Contingency Planning Group hosted by COSLA has been convened and meets regularly. Southern Cross has advised through COSLA that there are 10 care homes within Scotland that are likely to close.  Sefton park care home in South Lanarkshire is the first care home to be closed (2 August 2011). There are 7 Glasgow service users at Sefton Park.  Arrangements are in place to deal with this.

A further Social Work Services / Southern Cross Senior Management meeting is planned for mid July 2011. In the interim Southern Cross agreed to contact Social Work Services with any significant developments.

5.    Contingency Planning

A national contingency planning group hosted by COSLA has been established with a focus on Southern Cross. Glasgow City Council is developing its own contingency planning arrangements in line with the broader national contingency plan.  Even were Southern Cross to go into administration a worst case scenario where all existing residents physically have to move is highly unlikely due to the likelihood of at least a partial takeover from another provider. However, even allowing for this worst-case scenario there is sufficient capacity within the City to accommodate all of the 421 residents currently living here.  The contingency plan will also identify alternative locations for those service users living out with the City.  In extremes, support would be sought from the NHS to make hospital beds available on an emergency basis.

6.    Conclusion

We remain vigilant in our monitoring of Southern Cross’ position whilst it is prudent to contingency plan for the worst-case scenario highlighted above it remains an unlikely scenario.