PROPOSALS to replace continuous care at a sheltered housing scheme in Barnes with a weekday office-hours only warden service have been condemned by several of the residents' relatives.

Diana House in Walnut Tree Close provides 25 flats for the elderly and six for wheelchair bound residents of any age.

It is owned and managed by Richmond Churches Housing Trust and since opening has provided 24/7 on-site warden care.

Now the trust propose to employ weekday office-hour only warden services, with them answering calls only if they are at home in the evening, supplemented at night-time and weekends by a call-centre system for emergencies.

Jackie Haines, a niece of one of the residents, said: "This high level of care is designed for and is only offered to the most vulnerable.

"Many have no family to support them or represent their interests.

"Most of the residents have health problems and several are severely disabled. They wish to continue living independently but need the warden nearby to ensure their safety.

"If these insensitive changes are implemented then in the medium term many of them may be forced to seek expensive and scarce residential care places and the whole community will be losers."

The Lib Dem prospective parliamentary candidate for Richmond Park, Susan Kramer, has expressed her concerns in a letter to the trust's chief executive. Ian Watts, housing services director, explained that the reason for this change is due to working time directives and national minimum wage specifications. Wardens are currently on duty from 9am to 5pm and then required to stay in their flat until the next morning.

If the wardens continue to be on call 24 hours a day this would breach the maximum working time employees are legally allowed to do. The trust started a consultation exercise where the residents offered different opinions and the two proposals are; Firstly that the wardens would remain on duty from 9am to 5pm but they would not be required to stay in their rooms all night.

However, they would be expected to attend an emergency if they received a call whilst they were in their room. Other times would be covered by Careline, who would hopefully deal with the problem.

In addition to this proposal, a second option includes the possibility of employing a warden to come in on Saturday and Sunday mornings.

Mr Watts said: "If we continued to provide 24 hour service, which is what they have had in the past, we would have to pay a number of different staff and that would cost far more than the present service.

"The consultation period ended this week and the trust are proposing to hold a meeting with the residents to discuss their concerns."