The North West leads the way in helping organisations to deal with large scale redundancies
3/2/2010

In late September 2008 Skills for Care in the North West were made aware that two Boots distribution centres were to close in the Rochdale area with the potential loss of 550 jobs.

The workforce were mainly women, working part-time hours, shift work and many had worked there for 10 or more years.

Contact was made with the local Care Ambassador Scheme co-ordinator and the Boots HR leads at the centres in Rochdale and Heywood. Initially it was proposed that we hold a couple of awareness raising sessions for any of the at-risk employees who might be considering a career change and wanted some information about social care.  These led onto more in-depth sessions for those wanting to know more.  A jobs fair was held and a weekly bulletin of social care vacancies was developed. 

The full extent of the success achieved is difficult to quantify as the centres are now fully closed and we cannot track what everyone did after they left. However, we do know that at least 31 Boots employees who were made redundant have begun work in health and social care in a variety of roles and 16 of those are working directly for Rochdale Council Adult Care Service within both Older Peoples and Learning Disability services.

Dealing with large scale redundancies 

This publication has been produced to support you where you might be asked to work with, or have identified yourself an organisation in a similar situation who could be supported.

The contents have been designed as a guidance tool and possible checklist, you may wish to vary the activities and contents of sessions dependent on the size of the organisation with the at risk