More funds needed or homes will close

Care homes will be unable to meet the new care
standards and will be forced to close unless there is a substantial
increase in funding from central government, a coalition of 19
organisations has warned.

The Fair Rate for Care campaign, made up of
charities, care home providers and residential care experts –
including Help the Aged and the National Care Homes Association –
claims that the government is underfunding the true cost of quality
care. It argues the low levels of local authority fees do not cover
the care costs of state-funded residents.

The coalition is calling for a permanent
improvement in local authority fee levels and improved government
regulation of local authority care commissioning to ensure
transparency. It is also calling for a strategic research body to
review the national pricing and performance policies in care and to
make recommendations about future levels of needs and services.

It wants more planning between health, social
services and the independent sector which puts the recommendations
into practice.