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News Release 3rd February 2004FUNDING OF CARE HOMES IN STAFFORDSHIREMichael Fabricant has expressed his concern over the lack of funding for care homes in Staffordshire and says "Care homes are essential to the health and social care yet tragically every month an estimated 1,000 care beds are lost in England. In order to ensure that residents have a choice of accommodation and that their stability and care needs are suitably met it is essential that care homes receive the true cost of care from their local authorities. When homes close it causes deep upset for the residents, their friends and families. "I would like to take this opportunity to call for an independent inquiry into the financing of the care home sector. The problems need to be analysed and the level of funding calculated in order to maintain proper standards, employing qualified and stable staff and fulfilling society's responsibilities to those people who need care". Michael has backed a cross-party Parliamentary Motion backed by Labour Conservative and other MPs which reads:- That this House notes with concern the funding problems of the independent care sector in England which are leading to an estimated loss of over a thousand care home beds each month, to cost cutting, to inadequate staffing because rates of pay are not suitable to attract and hold qualified staff or offer them appropriate career paths to develop their skills, and which are also leading to the closure of homes with consequent disturbance to the residents and an inability to assure the elderly that they will have stability and that their care needs will be met appropriately in the home of their choice; believes that this problem arises because of the variations and inadequacy of fee levels offered by local authorities which are not adequate to finance proper care; and further believes that the time has come for an independent inquiry into the financing of this sector to analyse the problems, to look at experience overseas and in Scotland and to define the levels of funding appropriate to maintaining proper standards, employing qualified and stable staff, developing their skills and training and providing homes and staff with a secure future in a healthy sector which can fulfil society's responsibilities to our older citizens. |
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