Town care homes are ‘worst in country’

A SHOCKING new study has revealed that Stockport has the highest number of poor performing care homes in the country.

Analysis has found 62.9 percent of homes in the borough are rated as ‘inadequate’ or ‘requiring improvement.’

Greater Manchester’s performance overall makes grim reading with more than half of care homes in some parts officially performing poorly.

After Stockport, next worst was Salford which contains 61.5pc, Tameside with 54.8pc and Manchester with 51.3pc.

The only other authority outside Greater Manchester to be included in the top five worst performing areas was Kensington and Chelsea, with 50pc of care homes in the borough being rated as inadequate.

The analysis was conducted by charity Independent Age and was based on CQC inspections.

Researchers also found variation on quality within Greater Manchester, with older people living in neighbouring areas facing different choices.

The study found in Bury around one in eight care homes are rated as needing improvement, but in Salford pensioners are faced with far fewer choices of quality in care with three in five homes rated as poor performers. Independent Age said the variation in quality is due to low levels of funding by local authorities, difficulties recruiting staff and low pay.

They found there was also a lack of a support mechanism for improving struggling care homes.

Simon Bottery, director of policy at Independent Age, said: “No one should be forced to live in an unsatisfactory care home but our analysis shows this is the grim reality in some parts of the country.

“The market is simply not providing a decent choice for older people and their families but there is little indication that local authorities or the Government are giving the problem the attention it deserves.”