THE SAMARITANS charity could close more than 100 branches across the UK and Ireland.
The suicide prevention charity said that at least “half” of its branches will close, it has been claimed.
AlamyMany Samaritans branches may close down, prompting fears that callhandlers will have to work from home alone[/caption]
This is because having more than 200 “is not sustainable and hinders” them from providing the best service.
The plans have not been confirmed, and a spokesperson said branches that remain open will have a scaled up capacity if others do shut down.
Chief executive Julie Bentley told the BBC that while there wasn’t “a definitive view” on how many branches the charity needed: “It’s likely that within the next seven to 10 years our branch network will have reduced by at least half.
“With less branches, we’ll look to move to fewer but bigger regions.”
It is understood that the changes will begin in April in the UK and 2027 in Ireland if the plans are approved.
But a list of branches that may be shut down has not been decided upon.
Plans for “virtual volunteering” where call handlers work from home, have sparked fears volunteers could leave the charity.
This is because many only volunteered after struggling with their own mental health.
But Samaritans said this would be “entirely optional”.
Women working there also said they would be uncomfortable working from home due to the abusive and sexual calls they get.
Last year, £15.3million of the charity’s £24.6million income was spent on staff costs.
In a statement, the Samaritans said people should always be able to contact them.
The charity estimates it answers a call for help every 10 seconds.
Julie Bentley, CEO of Samaritans, said: ” Samaritans provides a life-saving service, day and night, 365 days a year but the changing needs of our callers and volunteers means thinking differently about the way our services need to work.
“We are engaging with our volunteers on proposed improvements that will mean we are able to answer more calls, have more volunteers on duty, and be there for more people in their darkest moments.
“Samaritans volunteers are hugely dedicated to being there for our callers and they remain at the heart of our service, but it has become increasingly clear that having over 200 branches, varying in size from 10 to 300 volunteers, is not sustainable and hinders us providing the best possible service to people who need us.”
If you are affected by any of the issues raised in this article, please call the Samaritans for free on 116123.
Published: [#item_custom_pubDate]
