PLANS to close 10 of the north's 19 residential care homes are to go out to consultation.
At a meeting of the Health and Social Care Board (HSCB) yesterday it was agreed that the five health trusts should consult on the plans, which include stopping any permanent admissions to the 10 homes and eventually closing them.
However, the HSCB insisted the proposals will not affect any residents already living in the homes, which include William Street in Derry and The Roddens in Ballymoney.
There was a public outcry in 2013 over the proposed closure of state-run residential homes.
Elderly residents had not been informed of the closures and the handling of the issue was branded a fiasco by the Stormont health committee.
Then health minister Edwin Poots later announced a government U-turn on the closure and assured residents that they would be allowed to remain in their care homes.
In a statement, the HSCB said yesterday: "Whilst current permanent residents in the homes are not affected by these proposals, the Health and Social Care Board has a responsibility to plan for the future and therefore the Board met to consider and subsequently approve the trusts’ proposals".
The consultation exercise is expected to take 12 weeks and be conducted over the summer.
A trade union official said if the proposals are approved many major towns in the north will have no NHS residential care provision.
UNISON regional organiser, Joe McCusker said residents not affected by the planned closures will be relieved.
"However, for those homes that are identified for closure this will cause distress and alarm for residents in those homes knowing that they will be the last residents, while the local communities will be outraged that there will be no NHS residential care provision in their area," he said.
He said the union would fight to keep the homes open.
The 10 homes earmarked for closure are: Northfield House in Donaghadee, Co Down; Slieve Roe in Kilkeel, Co Down; Skeagh House in Dromore, Co Down; William Street and Rectory Field in Derry; Roxborough House in Moy, Co Armagh; The Roddens in Ballymoney, Co Antrim; Pinewood in Ballymena, Co Antrim; Westlands in Cookstown, Co Tyrone, and Chestnut Grove or Pine Lodge in Belfast.
