Call for urgent action in support of care homes

URGENT action is needed to deal with the “triple whammy” of issues battering care homes across Wales.

The chairman of Care Forum Wales, Mario Kreft, said the industry is facing chronic underfunding, issues surrounding staff pay increases and a rise in the number of elderly people.

He has called on the Welsh Government to act after revelations that the number of people aged 85 or over has risen to more than 184,000, a rise of 145% since 2011.

He said the sector is also being hit by chronic underfunding and the prospect of having to give staff a 30% pay increase without knowing where the money is coming from.

The introduction of the living wage would also have a knock-on effect across the board because remuneration at every level would have to be increased accordingly to maintain pay differentials, Mr Kreft said. In Wales, social care looks after 150,000 people and employs 75,000 staff, which is more than 5% of the Welsh workforce.

Between them, care homes and nursing homes have about 23,000 beds – more than double the number provided by the NHS.

But Mr Kreft believes social care is at a tipping point in 2016 and the Welsh Government needs to respond.

Mr Kreft said health boards and local councils “do not talk, let alone work together” on delivering social care.

“The current system is clearly dysfunctional and the Welsh Government needs to deliver on it manifesto promise,” he said.

“Sadly, the reality is that fewer care beds are opening and more are closing and the end result is that more and more pressure is being put back on the NHS.

“The flow back is into the NHS and until we can make health boards work with councils and providers, and get regulators on board, that will continue.

“Matters are being made worse because there is a desperate shortage of nurses.”