Hi °C | Lo °C Union representatives will this week visit a Co Londonderry care home at risk of closure, with 40 jobs under threat and 25 residents facing relocation.
The GMB union has also called on Health Minister Edwin Poots (below) to save the home from the axe.
The Montague Care Home, a purpose-built 53-bed care facility offering dementia, nursing and residential care, is run by the Durham-based HC-One healthcare agency.
HC-One took over the running of the premises from troubled Southern Cross Healthcare in November 2011.
However, earlier this month it told residents' families and staff about plans to close the facility due to health and safety and "significant challenges in the building environment".
Some staff at the home had only taken up their positions in recent weeks and jobs were still being advertised online a day after the closure announcement was made.
Workers were put on 30 days' notice, while residents have been told they can stay for a further three months.
The GMB union is due to visit the facility tomorrow and will ask the company to reconsider the closure of the home and join in an approach to MPs, local councillors and Assembly members to ask the Health Minister Edwin Poots to step in and save it from closure.
Alan Perry, GMB regional officer, said that GMB has concerns that the elderly and vulnerable residents will have to move to other care homes in the area and that this could be a very traumatic process.
"The families of the residents will also suffer as a result of this closure, as will the staff," he said.
"Many staff have been employed at the home for many years and will face an unknown future in an already bleak economic future.
"At the meeting GMB officials will ask the company to reconsider the closure of this home and instead seek help to keep it open.
"They should join with GMB to approach MPs, local councillors and Assembly members to ask them to work together to put pressure on Edwin Poots, the health minister, to step in and save this home from closure," added Mr Perry.
