Southern Cross plan to cut 3,000 jobs

The Darlington-based firm is proposing to reduce staffing levels at its 750 homes where 31,000 residents live throughout the UK.

Southern Cross currently employs 44,000 people in its homes. Home Managers, Deputy Managers and Relief Managers, Activity Co-ordinators and Administrators will not be directly affected by the proposed reduction in jobs and the process is expected to be complete by October.

The company says it is committed to working with the GMB and other staff representatives during a period of consultation about improvements in staff effectiveness, investment behind staff training and the minimisation of redundancies.

Jamie Buchan, Chief Executive of Southern Cross, said: "Southern Cross has a strong set of values and a clear vision to serve the care-related needs of elderly people in our society.

"In today's announcement we are engaging with colleagues to put in place the best possible staffing model for our future needs, and one which fully embraces the best practice available to us."

"In developing this model during a very challenging time for both our company and the industry we are determined that the process we undertake should be exemplary in terms of staff communication."

Christopher Fisher, Chairman of Southern Cross, commented: "Notwithstanding the current financial pressures, Southern Cross is in the process of transforming the quality of its business. The benefits of the New Horizons programme are becoming apparent but their full effects are still to work through. There is a real momentum behind the ambition of our management team and there is too much of value within our business for it to be lightly discarded."

"Decisions on our future must be governed by a paramount concern for the welfare of our residents. We believe that for a critical mass of our landlords, supporting a restructured Southern Cross remains the most attractive option open to them, as we intend to demonstrate."