WALSALL TOPS THE WEST MIDLANDS LEAGUE FOR CARE HOME BEDS FOR THE ELDERLY THAT SUPPORTED BY PUBLIC FUNDS: HEREFORDSHIRE CAME BOTTOM A NEW SURVEY SHOWS

As over 60% of the residents in care home beds in the Region already receive support to pay for care it would not be a radical step to introduce a universal coverage like that of the NHS says GMB.

Walsall tops the West Midlands league with residents in 78.6% of its occupied care home beds supported by public funding. Second in the league is Wolverhampton where 78.5% of its occupied care home beds are supported by public funds. Third is Dudley where 78.1% of its occupied care beds are supported by public funds. Fourth is Coventry where 76.4% of its occupied care beds are supported by public funds.

Herefordshire however came last where just 54.1% of occupied care beds are supported by public funds. Worcestershire came second from bottom where 55.8% of its occupied care home beds are supported by public funds. The figures for each area of the West Midlands are shown on the table below.

Payment for residents in 19,300 care home beds for the elderly in the West Midlands comes in full or in part from public funds. That is 62.6% of the total number of beds occupied in the West Midlands league according to figures from industry experts. Payment for the remaining 37.4% of care home beds for the elderly are funded by the residents themselves or by their families. See note 3 below on entitlement to public support.

The data is contained in a new report produced by GMB from the sources identified in note one below. The report is published by GMB in advance of the imminent publication by the UK government of a Green Paper to be called Care and Support which will set out the government’s proposals on how to reform social care provision in England. 

Pauline Hinks GMB regional officer said, “The welfare state was designed as a cradle to grave service until the Thatcher government redesigned it as a cradle to care home service. This is grossly unfair as only 1 in 20 elderly people end their day’s in care homes. It is a complete lottery as to which 1 in every 20 end up in care and asked to pay for their care. As these figures show over half already receive support to pay for care, so it would not be a radical step to introduce a universal coverage like that of the NHS for care service. Collective insurance is the only fair way of meeting these costs as is already the case in Scotland.

We can not cut corners on this. The staff in care homes need to be properly qualified, trained, rewarded and resourced to look after those who are our mothers and fathers in their declining years when they really need us. The system we have at the moment does not deliver for the elderly or for the staff.

GMB would like to see a proper debate on this matter in the UK. We will be lobbying council social services committees and government ministers in all four jurisdictions to promote GMB policy and secure a fair deal for residents and GMB care home staff.”    

Ends

Contact: Pauline Hinks, GMB Organiser on 07809 617 761 or GMB Press Office: Steve Pryle 07921 289880 or Rose Conroy 07974 252183.

Notes to Editors:

1. The sources of the figures for each of the three columns is as follows column 1 Figures obtained from Laing & Buisson - Total number of beds in care homes for those aged over 65 with Old Age, Dementia, Physical Disability or Sensory Impairment - 2008*. Column 2 source of funding data from Laing & Buisson sample survey. Data for each local authority area may be subject to sampling error. Column 3 this is a GMB estimate on the number of occupied beds that are funded in whole or in part by public funds  (* England figures for June 2008, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland figures updated between October 2007 - March 2008) ( - -) signifies that parts of the data was missing and calculations were unable to be made.

2. All residents in care homes get their medical costs paid for by NHS. However the cost of maintaining a resident in a care home in terms of accommodation, power, food, personal care is paid for in full or in part by the public sector or the family themselves.

3. If an elderly person has capital of below £23,000, they may be entitled to some assistance from the state towards their care costs. Local social services departments will carry out an assessment in order to determine if they need nursing care or a residential home. In England/Northern Ireland if they have a capital of below £14,000 the elderly person will receive the maximum help with costs, if they have capital between £14,000 - £23,000 you will have to make a contribution of £1 for every £250 of capital between these two figures. These figures vary in Scotland and Wales. Depending on income, savings or assets, such as thier home, they may have to pay for some or all of the care.