On 14th January the Leslie House 21 Group presented a Petition to the Public Petitions Committee of the Scottish Parliament. The Petition drew attention to the national crisis associated with funding the care of the elderly, which is leading to the closure of more and more care homes throughout Scotland. The Leslie House 21 Group's Petition supports another Petition which is currently before the Committee and which was submitted by Pat Brown on behalf of the residents of St Meddan's Court, a residential home in Troon, which is also threatened with closure

A third Petition is about to be submitted to the Scottish Parliament by the Cockenzie House Action Group, which has been formed by the relatives of residents of Cockenzie House Nursing Home in East Lothian, which is yet another home threatened with closure.

The list of care homes threatened with closure is steadily growing. According to the Care Commission, in addition to St Meddan's Court, Leslie House and Cockenzie House, they now include: St Anne's Cottage, Dalnair House, Erskine House Nursing Home and St John's in Central Scotland and Sycamore Lodge and Key Housing in South West Scotland. In every case the reason that closure is threatened is a lack of funding.

The Leslie House Petition was well received by the Committee, which agreed to write to the Scottish Executive seeking its comments on the Leslie House 21 Group's Petition, in particular:

• how the Executive plans to meet the current shortfall in residential care home places given the recent trend in the closure of charitable and voluntary operated homes in Scotland;
• confirmation as to whether the Executive's policy of caring for elderly people in the community is effective and indeed sustainable given demographic trendswhich are likely to see an increase in the requirement for elderly care, and
• an indication as to whether the Executive would be willing to provide financial assistance to ensure that the residential homes currently under threat can remain operational.

The Committee also agreed to seek the comments of the Church of Scotland's Board of Social responsibility in relation to issues raised, in particular:

• clarification of its position with regard to the apparent shortfall in residential care home places given the recent trend in the closure of charitable and voluntary operated homes in Scotland;
• details of the number of residential care homes currently operated by the Church of Scotland that are due to close, together with an indication whether these closures will be off-set by new builds or are part of a wider plan to withdraw from operating a ny residential care facilities, and
• an indication as to the Church of Scotland's plans for Leslie House

The Committee also agreed to consult the Convention of Scottish local Authorities on a number of related issues and to pass a copy of the Leslie House 21 Group's Petition to the Clerk to the Health and Community Care Committee for information only at this stage.

It is to be hoped that the relatives of all of the other care homes in Scotland, which are threatened with closure will join the national campaign. Anyone wishing further information should contact Ross Vettraino