ONLY five operating care homes remain under the control of Southern Cross Healthcare after the Darlington firm transferred a further 24 to new landlords today.
It brings the total transferred since September 30 to 743, as the firm continues its operational wind down.
It emerged in July that Southern Cross was closing the business after it was hit a combination of rents for its predominantly leased homes rising faster than the fees it received for residents' care from local authorities, on which it was heavily dependent.
The remaining five operational homes are expected to transfer in the next four weeks as well as four non-operational homes.
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