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Staff still working at empty Greenholme care home

Oct 11 2009 by Dave Black, Sunday Sun

FEMALE care staff are continuing to work night shifts at an old people’s home in the North . . . despite the fact that the building has stood empty since the last residents moved out two weeks ago.

Two women carers have been kept on duty through the night at Greenholme in Haltwhistle, Northumberland, despite having no one to care for since the residential home closed last month.

Yesterday county council social services bosses denied claims that the trained care workers are effectively being used as security guards at the empty home.

They say staff are covering their normal rota of night hours, and have been doing decommissioning work required following the departure of the last residents.

But they couldn’t explain why decommissioning work at Greenholme has to be carried out during the night.

Greenholme has closed as a residential home after the number of elderly residents fell in recent years, and there are now plans to build an extra care housing scheme on the site.

Staff are continuing to work there during their statutory 90-day notice period, but there has been surprise that female carers are still there during the night.

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