Risk of more homes shutting if extra money is not found

SCOTLAND’S care sector needs an extra £1billion of funding, MSPs have been warned.

Donald Macaskill, Scottish Care chief executive, said that was a “conservative” estimate of the money required.

He was speaking to MSPs on the health and sport committee about the sustainability of the care home sector.

The discussion initially focused on the closure of 12 Bield care homes across Scotland, affecting 167 residents.

Bield chief executive Brian Logan told the committee the care home side of the business had been losing money for five years and had lost about £375,000 last year.

Macaskill said significant players in the industry are concerned about their ability to continue.

He added: “Bield is a symptom of disease and that disease is the current underfunding of the social sector in Scotland.

“The bigger picture is how much are we prepared in Scotland to pay for the support and care of some of our most vulnerable citizens?”

Questioned on how much extra money is needed, Macaskill said: “Within the Scottish context, I would conservatively estimate in terms of the gaps of social care provision – the whole of social care from children to older people’s services – we need a further £1billion over the next three years.”

Logan said taking the decision to close the 12 homes was a “last resort” and he acknowledged it would cause anxiety and distress for residents and their families.

He told MSPs that staffing levels were sufficient to deliver services and care was “first class”.

But the charitable company, who were set up to help those most in need, did not want to be in a business where they faced moving to filling homes with more lucrative self-funding residents rather than those paid for by the local authority.

Michelle Miller, interim chief officer for Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership, stressed a new model of care was needed and said if £1billion was given to “shore up” the old model, more money would constantly be required.

She said Edinburgh is about 60-70 care home places short, with those affected mostly waiting in hospital.

Miller added that there are vacancies in homes in the area but only in those who charge much more than the national care home rate.

There was widespread support for an independent commission on care home fees at the roundtable discussion.