SNP ‘planning to nationalise care sector’, claims operator

TRUST has broken down between care homes and the Scottish Government amid fears the entire sector is at risk of being nationalised.

A leading operator has launched a scathing attack on SNP ministers after claiming they are plotting to take private care homes into public hands.

Robert Kilgour, executive director at Renaissance Care, said recently released documents show early moves to nationalise the sector were launched in May, when care homes were in the grip of the Covid crisis and hundreds of residents were dying.

The quango responsible for checking standards in care homes was instructed by the SNP Government to find out the value of the 1,100 facilities in Scotland.

E-mails released following a freedom of information (FoI) request show the Care Inspectorate asked private property specialists to come up with a market value.

Mr Kilgour said: ‘It is very sneaky and underhand of the Scottish Government to ask the Care Inspectorate to do this behind the scenes.

‘How can Scottish Care and the independent and voluntary care home sector continue to work with the Government after this? A certain level of trust is an important ingredient in any working business relationship – and when that goes...’

The FoI request, submitted by a law firm, asked for communication between the Care Inspectorate and private property firms in May. The response, released last week, shows officials made contact with one firm, Christie & Co, on May 6 to request a ‘market value of the adult care home estate’.

Based on 36,000 beds, the firm valued the care home estate at roughly £2billion.

Asked why it had been seeking a valuation, the Care Inspectorate said this was commissioned by the Government and redirected inquires to it.

The Government said it was related to due diligence work in advance of the Coronavirus Acts in May 2020, when it ‘was establishing the availability of data about the market value’ of the care home estate ‘as part of the proposed emergency legislation’.

A spokesman added: ‘The Act sets out a range of provisions that ensure swift interventions in care homes where there is a serious risk to individuals.’

Mr Kilgour said he was ‘extremely concerned’ there may be a bid ‘to nationalise the entire independent care home sector’.