POOR AREAS HARDEST HIT BY CARE BED CUTS
44% fewer places in poor areas... but 70% more in wealthier parts
Shortages hit elderly 1 Walthamstow ............................. 43.8% 2 Camberwell and Peckham ......... 42.2% 3 Penrith and The Border ............ 38.5% 4 Hornsey and Wood Green ......... 35.9% 5 Copeland .................................. 34.8% 1 Mid Bedfordshire ....................... 2 Meriden ..................................... 3 South Cambridgeshire ............... 4 Sutton Coldfield ........................ 5 Windsor ......................................
Bedfordshire did best, with an increase of 70.4%. Jayne Connery, from Care Campaign for the Vulnerable, said: “When we support people towards the South West they get far greater support, while in the North West they struggle more. It’s not a fair outcome.
“Simply, we need a government that actually prioritises elderly social care.”
Stella Creasey, Walthamstow’s Labour MP, blames lack of government support.
She said: “The current underfunded system means many people are forced to go without care or are given no choice but to leave the area they have lived in for years to find a suitable care home. This is yet another damning indictment of Boris Johnson and his out-of-touch crony ministers.”
In Cumbria’s Penrith constituency – where 39% of social care beds have been lost – a 28-place home closed last month due to staff shortages.
Sharon Baxter, from domestic care provider Cumbria Quality Care, said: “It takes far too long to be offered a bed in a care home. When they do get offered one, they’re often out of county.
“We had a lady who needed a bed but the only one she was offered was in Preston – 70 miles away.”
Sharon blames poor funding from councils.
She added: “They need to pay us more per hour for the care that we do so that we can then pay staff a higher rate. My son is paid more in Morrisons petrol station.
“Carers get less than working the till at Aldi or cleaning. They could build more care homes but would struggle to staff them because of low pay.”
We are calling on Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Health and Social Care Secretary Sajid Javid to pledge:
An immediate review into pay, bringing care work into line with similar NHS roles. A professional register for care workers in England – as other home nations have.
An end to unpaid travel time for home care workers.