UK's biggest care home provider shuts loss-making homes

#carehomes #GeorgeOsbourne #localauthorities - In a letter to George Osborne, Four Seasons joined Bupa UK, HC-One, Care UK and Barchester in warning that extra costs would mean “thousands of older people could be left without a home”.

Justin Bowden, national organiser for the GMB trade union, said the closures would have “devastating consequences” for residents and staff. He said the sector was in “slow motion” collapse because of the shortage in funding and predicted the crisis would put yet more pressure on the NHS because older patients who could not be cared for at home would seek beds through A&E departments.

There are approximately 400,000 people in residential care homes across the UK and the ResPublica thinktank has predicted a shortfall of 37,000 beds by 2020 if a funding gap of £1.1bn is not met by the chancellor. Care homes are being squeezed by a fall in the fees that local authorities contribute to residents’ care and a rise in staff costs. The latter will increase further when the “national living wage” comes into force next April. 

Click link to read the full story