Gibraltar's GHA buys The Rooke to house elderly care, keeping it public
What's the deal? The Gibraltar Health Authority (GHA)Dealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → is acquiring The RookeDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, a site that will become a new elderly care facility, with employees and residents transferring from existing services later this year. The union Unite confirmed the acquisition on September 1, 2026, after meeting GHA senior management.
What changes? Staff and service users will move from the current ERS sites at Mount Alvernia and the Cochrane Ward, while long-stay patients at St Bernard's will also transfer to the new premises. The GHA confirmed there would be no change of employer and the service stays within its current structure.
Why now? The acquisition triggers a consultation with all stakeholders, including Unite, to resolve issues ahead of the planned move later this year. The GHA also committed to filling vacancies within the ERS.
What's the endgame? The Rooke will remain part of the GHA and the public sector under the current government's vision for the Health & Care Sector. For most employees, the change means a new workplace rather than a new employer.
"This is really positive news and demonstrates an on-going commitment to maintaining public services and ensuring that these stay rooted where they belong, in the public sector," said Stuart Davies, national officer for Unite Gibraltar. He noted earlier concerns that a private provider might be involved, which "would have been highly problematic."
What could go wrong? Davies acknowledged "there will undoubtedly be teething problems and issues that need to be worked through," along with concerns and anxieties among union members. Unite said it expects to resolve these through planned consultation with the employer.
The signal: By buying the site rather than handing it to a private operator, Gibraltar signals a commitment to keeping elderly and long-stay care within the public system — a notable choice amid wider pressures to outsource such services.
Read more: yourgibraltartv.com
Image credit: Generated with Gemini
