Issue 88 22.12.21
The weekly online newsletter for the care sector
Report shows underfunding of social care CHRONIC underfunding of care provided for our oldest and most vulnerable has been exposed by the Government, campaigners say. The Independent Care Group has called for urgent action to tackle the gap between the true cost of giving care in care and nursing homes and in people’s own homes, and what care providers are paid to deliver it. In its own report the Government has admitted that local authorities are not paying enough to provide proper care. The Government report, Market Sustainability and Fair Cost of Care Fund: purpose and conditions 2022 to 2023, says: “…a significant number of local authorities are paying residential and domiciliary care providers less than it costs to deliver the care received. This is undermining their markets, creating unfairness, affecting sustainability and, at times, leading to poorer quality outcomes.” Now the ICG wants to see Government and local authorities work together to properly fund the provision of care. ICG chair Mike Padgham said: “Here we have in black and white a clear admission that care is not being properly funded on the front line. “Local authorities will themselves argue that they are not getting enough funding to
commission care, so it is vital that both sides address the issue. “Sadly, what the Government is proposing to inject into social care is nowhere near enough to address the issues. “The people who are suffering are the 1.5m who can’t get the care they need and care providers who are struggling to survive in the Covid-19 landscape.” Some £8bn has been cut from social care budgets since 2010 and experts say at least £10bn extra a year is needed to get back to previous levels. The ICG is calling for a root and branch overhaul of the way care is funded. “Social care has been chronically under-funded for a generation and the rigours of Covid-19 has left it on its knees, struggling to provide care for our oldest and most vulnerable in care and nursing homes and in their own homes,” Mike added. “Financial cutback after financial cutback has left the provision of care in tatters. “The Government, and previous governments before this one, have failed social care time and time again, showing the same failure to grasp the simple equation that if you don’t fund social care properly it will fail and today we have yet more evidence to prove that.”
Staff and residents from Brookfield Care Home and Staveley Birkleas Nursing Home which are both in Nab Wood Shipley, and Beanlands Nursing Home in Cross Hills, have enjoyed a special ‘Elf Day’, where its staff dressed up as elves and posed for ‘elfie selfies’ with residents, as part of a national fundraising campaign run by the Alzheimer’s Society. £130 will be spilt between the dementia charity and the homes’ own residents’ fund. Residents enjoyed games and a delicious afternoon tea,as part of the festive celebrations. Residents at Brookfield Care Home also welcomed a very special visitor – a life size Elf on the Shelf.
Provider’s IIP Gold accreditation MEALLMORE Ltd has achieved the Investors in People Gold accreditation. Fewer than 1,000 organisations in the whole of the UK currently have IIP Gold Accreditation, and only 62 of those are classified as care providers – with just six in Scotland. The report deemed that ‘through 20202021 and the challenges associated with COVID-19 pandemic’, Meallmore has shown ‘the ethos and philosophy of a ‘gold-standard organisation’, and ‘clearly demonstrate a shared sense of purpose, together with a common set of values, leadership behaviours; and philosophy of care’. It further added: ‘your principles and values were not only highly visible – yet also provided a clear roadmap throughout Covid-19’. Gerry Hennessey, managing director
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of Meallmore, said: “This is a hugely important achievement for us. In this industry, our people are crucial to what we do, and we are committed to making sure they get the best experience working with us, which also results in us getting the best out of them. “It was a very proud moment to hear that in the most challenging of times, all of our staff reported feeling safe and valued, and have so many positive things to say about being a part of Meallmore. “We believe in continual improvement, so we’re fully prepared to go beyond Gold, and we’re already planning our next steps to take things even further. “Thank you to everyone for all of their hard work and dedication, which makes us what we are today, and makes every Meallmore home such an excellent place to work and live.”