In this months Ipswich and District Flyer Councillor Judy Terry has written an article titled Have Your Say On The Future Of The County’s Care Homes.
Today’s older generation has different needs and aspirations, being often fitter for longer, with many supported in their own homes into their final days and weeks. This is why the County Council is reviewing how it delivers care to meet these changing needs, whilst ensuring its commitment to offering a range of services which are innovative, of high quality and represent value for money for everyone.
As part of the review, the County is proposing that it will no longer run its own homes, launching a 12-week consultation on the future of all council-run residential care homes involving residents, their families, carers and staff. Meetings are being held at all 16 homes, and full details of the proposals are available on the council’s website www.suffolk.gov.uk, which also offers a booklet. I, myself, shall be visiting Sidegate Lane care home in Ipswich to hear people’s views on the 8th December.
The consultation closes on 24th January 2011, and a decision will be taken in March next year. So, here are some key facts:
1. The County Council currently runs 16 residential care homes, which represent
approximately 10% of the total market in Suffolk;
2. there are 160 registered care homes for older people in Suffolk providing approximately
5,500 places;
3. 526 residents live in Council-run care homes, whilst the Council arranges around 2,300
placements in private care homes.
The options under consideration include:
1. Gradually closing the homes and commissioning alternative services from the
independent sector, or
2. selling the homes as ‘going concerns’, or
3. closing a number of homes and transferring the remaining homes to the private sector.
The article supports what is on Suffolk county Councils website here.
No decision will be taken until Cabinet meets to review all consultation feedback in March 2011.
The proposals in full can be found here.
Also, in Judy Terry’s article, she points out the reason such decisions as this need to be taken, namely the £4.8 trillion national debt bequeathed to us all by the last Labour government.
Also,
Many of the Council’s homes are outdated and unable to compete with the newer independent sector care homes and other facilities, which are being built to a very high standard. The majority of demand for Council arranged placements is being satisfied by the private sector, where the Care Quality Commission’s independent ratings show that care is good or excellent. Placements in private homes are less costly than similar facilities in Council owned homes because of the County’s purchasing power.
