Care homes' help - too little too late

Tony Andrews, chairman of East Sussex Care Homes Association believes two increases in fees since January is still not enough to protect yet more homes from going under, and a third, promised later in the year may well come too late for some.

Following a Downing Street protest last week by a 102-year-old facing eviction from a cash-strapped care home, Mr Andrews warned of worse to come. He said the personal plea to No. 10 by Rose Cottle was just the tip of the care crisis.

"Tens of thousands of people like Rose are faced with being made homeless because care home owners simply cannot make ends meet on the paltry fees paid by local authorities to provide care.

"More than 40 homes have closed across the county in the last 12 months and the owners of many more may quit the industry in April if something is not done to alleviate new regulations.

"This is a sorry state of affairs and an appalling way to treat some of society's most frail and vulnerable."

Last autumn, the new Conservative administration at county level pledged more realistic and reasonable fees for cash-strapped care home owners.

Councillor Peter Jones, leader of ESCC, said he recognised that county had to have a sensible long term partnership with care home owners who provided 90 per cent of the county's elderly care provision. He urged them not to give up just yet.

"The budget for this financial year was set by the previous administration in February this year so my colleagues are unable to do anything about the current situation. But we will introduce more realistic and reasonable fees for the coming year which will ensure not only that they survive but that they will be able to make the business work."

Mr Andrews said that fees were increased by five per cent in January and a further 2.5 per cent in April. The second increase will bring fees up to 230 a week, though several accountancy firms calculate absolute basic fees should be around 275 a week.

"I feel bad for the home owners but I feel even worse for the elderly people involved."