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no.254 • £4.75 incorporating
December 2017
The Number One magazine for the care sector
Care home celebrates landmark birthday
Urgent action needed warns association By Dominic Musgrave
UNHEEDED warnings over the state of social care have left the care of our oldest and most vulnerable adults in danger, a providers’ group has warned. The Independent Care Group says it has been warning for more than a decade that underfunding would eventually mean people going without the care they need in care homes and their own homes. And as a major report warned of a huge shortfall in care in the coming 20 years, the group said urgent action was needed now to prevent real hardship for people who deserve better. Chair Mike Padgham said: “We and many, many other bodies, politicians and experts have been warning for more than a decade that serious underfunding of social care was going to leave this country short of the care we need and now we see the evidence of that happening. “We know there are already more than a million people in this country going without the care they need and this latest report warns that the situation is going to get much, much worse in the next 20 years unless urgent action is taken.” Property experts JLL warned in a report on social care capacity, that there was going to be a huge
demand for care homes, with an extra 139,000 beds needed over the next 10 years and 351,000 by 2036. In that period it warned that an increase in the workforce of 540,000 care home workers would be needed. It also warned that over the next 20 years the country would need a further extra 682,000 people to work in care settings other than homes, including homecarers. BBC You and Yours reported in August that there would be a 3,000 bed shortfall by the end of 2018 – 70,000 beds by the end of 2026. “I have twice written to the Prime Minister and to the Minister responsible for social care, Jackie Doyle-Price, inviting them to visit the frontline of social care to see for themselves the challenges the sector faces, but have so far hit a brick wall,” Mike added. “Providers have suggestions to help the crisis, including merging NHS care and social care to provide a more cohesive care system, providing incentives to get more providers and staff into the sector and making greater use of the independent sector to provide more cost-effective care. “We are promised a Green Paper on care this autumn, but as these latest figures demonstrate, the need for action is urgent as people are going without care now.”
Excitement is building for the inaugural Caring UK Awards in partnership with headline sponsor Clydesdale and Yorkshire Banks, which are being held at the National Railway Museum in York on December 8. The event is being hosted by entrepreneur and star of series 10 of The Apprentice Katie Bulmer-Cooke (pictured above). She said: “The care sector is vital to so many people and their loved ones, and this event will be shining a light on those who truly deserve recognition for their work.”
A BOGNOR Regis care home has celebrated 10 years of providing residential care. Elizabeth House, which is owned and operated by Shaw healthcare, marked the occasion with drinks, cake and musical entertainment. The party included guests such as the Mayor of Bognor Regis, Councillor Phil Woodall, as well as Shaw healthcare’s deputy CEO Suzanne Hughes and Abbie Johnson, of West Sussex County Council. Home manager, Marian Drake, said: “This party was a lovely way to mark the occasion. I have a great team here who work so hard to provide the high standard we pride ourselves on, ensuring we get to know residents and families to offer the individual care people need.” The home works closely with Seaford College, whose students visit the home and support the residents on activities in the community. It has been a winner at the last two ‘Star Awards’, organised by Shaw healthcare to celebrate excellence in care across the UK. A team leader, cook and senior support worker, who have been at the home since it opened, were also presented awards on the day, while the home marked the fiveyear anniversary of two domestic assistants and a support worker.