WESTMINSTER “THERE’S NO MONEY FOR CARE IN SEFTON” MEETING CONTRAVENES “NO MONEY IS NOT AN EXCUSE” HIGH COURT RULING.

SEFTON CARE ASSOCIATION

PRESS RELEASE

May 22, 2012.

WESTMINSTER “THERE’S NO MONEY FOR CARE IN SEFTON” MEETING CONTRAVENES “NO MONEY IS NOT AN EXCUSE” HIGH COURT RULING.

Sefton Care Association (SCA) has been told “there is no money” to pay for the shortfall and backdating of care fees frozen by Sefton Borough Council – in direct contravention of a High Court ruling that says “no money is not an excuse”.

Members of SCA met with Care Minister Paul Burstow, John Pugh MP, Sefton Borough Council Chief Executive Margaret Carney and other officials in Westminster, but before SCA could put its case, the “there’s no money” line was delivered.

“As soon as that was said we realised that not only was our meeting a waste of time, but also that the situation had not been properly researched,” said Dan Lingard of Sefton Care Association.

“As the meeting was conducted under Chatham House Rules, we can’t say who said there was no money – but it was said nevertheless.

“Sefton Council has already defied a High Court ruling and told care home owners and the borough’s vulnerable that it will be freezing care fees for both 2011/12 and 2012/13, a dispute which led to SCA committee members being invited to Westminster to discuss the issue.

“But it’s clear there was no intention of arriving at any sort of a conclusion in that meeting which would be of any benefit to people needing care, or care home owners and operators – especially when we were told ‘there’s no money’.

“But what people in the meeting seemed to have lost sight of is that the High Court ruling in November 2011 said that lack of resources is no excuse for not fulfilling care obligations.”

In paragraph 90 of the ruling, His Honour Judge Raynor QC, sitting as a judge of the High Court, quoted an earlier precedent and ruling: “In paragraph 46(2) of his judgment in the Forest Care Home case, Hickinbottom J stated: ‘In deciding whether a person is in need of care and accommodation, an authority is entitled to have regard to its own limited financial resources. However, having set that threshold and found that a particular person surpasses it, an authority is under an obligation to provide care and accommodation in fulfilment of its section 21 obligations (under the National Assistance 1948), which is a specific duty on the authority owed to an individual, not a target duty: lack of resources is no excuse for non-fulfilment of that obligation…’

“The Claimants (Sefton Care Association) submit that the evidence in this case shows that the decision to freeze fees was taken for budgetary reasons alone or at least to an improper extent, without there being any attempt to balance other factors against the need for financial savings.”

Dan Lingard said: “In other words, no money is not an excuse – care obligations must be fulfilled, and they are not being fulfilled by a freeze in care fees, which, given inflation and other factors, means that not only have care fees been frozen – they’ve actually fallen.”

Judge Raynor ruled that Sefton Council should not have frozen 2011/2012 payment levels to elderly people in care in the borough, and that it did not pay due regard to the actual cost of care in making its unilateral decision. He directed Sefton Council to enter into consultation with local care homes, and to reassess care payments for the 2011/2012 financial year – and establish the actual cost of care by which care fee rates could be set.

But Sefton Council not only ignored the February 9, 2012 deadline to respond, it has also said it will freeze care fees retrospectively, and for the 2012/13 financial year as well – meaning that care fees have been static despite the Retail Prices Index rising nearly 12% in the three years since care fees were last increased.

Ends

For further information:

Iain Macauley 07788 978800

im@pressrelations.co.uk

@SeftonCareAssn

SEFTON COUNCIL IGNORES HIGH COURT RULING – AND FREEZES CARE FEES FOR A THIRD YEAR

SEFTON CARE ASSOCIATION

PRESS RELEASE

May 8, 2012.

SEFTON COUNCIL IGNORES HIGH COURT RULING – AND FREEZES CARE FEES FOR A THIRD YEAR.

Sefton Council has defied a High Court ruling and told care home owners and the borough’s vulnerable that it will be freezing care fees for both 2011/12 and 2012/13.

Now Sefton Care Association says that as many as 50% of care homes in the borough may be forced to close, generating massive worry and uncertainty for the families of the area’s frail and vulnerable.

Senior council officers dropped the bombshell to care home owners despite a judge telling the local authority in November 2011 that it must make a decision on reassessment of care fees paid to the most vulnerable people by February 9, 2012.

In a Judicial Review in the High Court in Manchester, His Honour Judge Raynor QC ruled that Sefton Council should not have frozen 2011/2012 payment levels to elderly people in care in the borough, and that it did not pay due regard to the actual cost of care in making its unilateral decision. He directed Sefton Council to enter into consultation with local care homes, and to reassess care payments for the 2011/2012 financial year – and establish the actual cost of care by which care fee rates could be set.

But Sefton council says it will freeze care fees retrospectively, and for the 2012/13 financial year as well – meaning that care fees have been static despite the Retail Prices Index rising nearly 12% in the three years since care fees were last increased.

Sefton Care Association, which represents a large proportion of care homes in the borough, says the implications are massive – not just locally, but potentially nationally as a care-fee-freeze precedent has been effectively set, with local authorities likely to stump up the cost of more Judicial Reviews rather than find the cash to increase care fees. Legal bills for a Judicial Review are a fraction of the shortfall in care fees.

Council officers have also told care home owners that an independent report into the cost of care in Sefton, commissioned by Sefton Care Association and carried out by highly-respected research organisation Laing & Buisson, was “deficient” and that council officials “questioned the significance and reliability of the report”.

But Peter Moore of Sefton Council also then told care home owners that “the report provides more data than our own spread sheet did”.

However, Mark Gilbert of Sefton Care Association, said: “Laing & Buisson (L&B) is the foremost research organisation in the sector, recognised by all levels of government – up to and including ministerial level – as being a provider of accurate, independent and unbiased research.

“The key issues are not just the cost of care, but also homes gaining a reasonable return on capital investment so enabling essential maintenance and upgrading of property and equipment essential for the wellbeing of elderly residents.

“There’s a big gap between the cost of providing care and the level of funds Sefton Council currently allocates: families and those in care are struggling to afford the shortfall between Sefton’s current funding provision level, and the cost of care – care homes are doing everything in their power to bring costs down.

“L&B provided information for four categories of care home client support. Typically, nursing care for a frail older person – many of whom require 24/7 support – has, according to L&B, an actual weekly cost of £626, or £699 if we include a 13% return to cover the cost of maintenance and improvement of the care home. But Sefton Council’s currently frozen weekly care fee rate is £510. It is down to the individual client or their family to make up the difference; care home owners have reached a point where there is simply nothing else to cut.”

Ends

For further information:

Iain Macauley

07788 978800

im@pressrelations.co.uk

CARE CRISIS: SEFTON COUNCIL’S OPPORTUNITY OF 1,600 LIFETIMES

SEFTON CARE ASSOCIATION

PRESS RELEASE

January 31, 2012.

CARE CRISIS: SEFTON COUNCIL’S OPPORTUNITY OF 1,600 LIFETIMES.

Sefton Council has the opportunity of 1,600 lifetimes to be the first local authority in the country to properly assess and fund care for the most vulnerable members of society.

That’s the view of Sefton Care Association, which represents a large proportion of care homes in the borough, following a High Court ruling which directed the council to establish the actual cost of care for the elderly in the area.

The opportunity arises following a Judicial Review in the High Court in Manchester in November 2011 in which His Honour Judge Raynor QC ruled that Sefton Council - a typical middle-sized authority - should not have frozen 2011/2012 payment levels to 1,600 elderly people in care in the borough, and that it did not pay due regard to the actual cost of covering care in making its unilateral decision.

He then directed Sefton Council to reassess care payments for the 2011/2012 financial year – but Sefton Care Association sees an opportunity for the council to set a standard and precedent for the rest of the country’s social care budget-holding authorities, not just retrospectively, but also as budget-setting deadlines approach for 2012/2013.

“Those needing care have not had one single positive word of certainty on care and support for as far back as most of us can remember; this is an opportunity for one local authority to change the prioritisation of care provision forever, and get itself a place in history,” said Mark Gilbert, a member of the executive committee of Sefton Care Association.

“Sefton Care Association has brought in Laing and Buisson – a nationally recognised research organisation - which will provide an independent report into the cost of providing care in the borough, a move which the council has not resisted. The key issues are not solely the cost of care, but also homes gaining a reasonable return on capital investment so enabling essential maintenance and upgrading of property and equipment.

“Sefton families with elderly relatives in care, as well as carers and care home operators in the borough, have been appealing to local councillors to reverse the local authority’s stance on paying for care in the area. This is a great opportunity for funding to be assessed in a sensible fashion, and provided at a realistic level.”

Dan Lingard, chairman of Sefton Care Association, added: “There’s a big gap between the cost of providing care and the level of funds Sefton Council currently allocates: families and those in care are struggling to afford the shortfall between Sefton’s current funding provision level, and the cost of care – and the care homes are doing everything in their power to bring costs down. But they’ve reached a point where there is nothing else to cut.

“Sefton Council currently pays a maximum of £510 a week towards funding of nursing care for an individual, but the indications are that the actual cost is in the region of £600 a week. Currently, individuals – many with dementia - and their families have to fund that shortfall, which most would agree is not an acceptable state of affairs.”

Ends

For further information:

Iain Macauley

07788 978800

im@pressrelations.co.uk

@Press_Relations

HEALTH BILL: IT DOESN’T ADD UP – SOCIAL CARE REFORM IS THE BOTTOM LINE.

DR ROS ALTMANN

DIRECTOR-GENERAL, SAGA

QUOTES

January 24, 2012.

HEALTH BILL: IT DOESN’T ADD UP –  SOCIAL CARE REFORM IS THE BOTTOM LINE.

Commenting on today’s growing disagreements about the Health Bill, Dr Ros Altmann, Director-General of over-50s group Saga, said:

“The government seems to have developed a difficulty in understanding basic maths: it wants to make £20 billion in NHS savings by 2015. The answer is in driving reform of the social care system, and get it joined up with the healthcare system.

“It costs £2,000 a week to keep an elderly person in a hospital bed, but it costs around £550 a week to provide home care or residential care.

“By getting social care sorted the problem will be solved at both ends: the vast majority of hospital admissions among the elderly are down to falls which could have been prevented if a proper social care system was in place, but once an elderly person is in hospital they end up staying there for far too long because the system is far too inefficient to provide for them going home.”

Ends

For further information:

Saga Press Office
01303 771529.

www.saga.co.uk

Iain Macauley
im@pressrelations.co.uk
07788 978800

CROSS PARTY CARE TALKS: FORGET POLITICS, FIND SOLUTIONS, SAYS SAGA

DR ROS ALTMANN

DIRECTOR-GENERAL, SAGA

QUOTES

January 16, 2012.

CROSS PARTY CARE TALKS: FORGET POLITICS, FIND SOLUTIONS, SAYS SAGA.

Over-50s organisation Saga says there is no room for political points-scoring in this week’s cross-party talks on care and support.

“The lives of millions of older people and the future of the NHS is at stake here. Politicians in all parties have an historic opportunity to change the way care is funded in future, to help people stay in their own homes if they can, which is what they overwhelmingly want, and to save money for the NHS by caring for them outside the most expensive hospital settings,” said Dr Ros Altmann, Director-General of Saga.

“It is desperately important that MPs take the lead in telling Ministers - who have so far proved disappointingly reluctant to grasp the urgency of the issue - that proper care reform cannot wait. There will be a White Paper in the Spring, but this must deliver a clear framework for immediate reform, with a timeline and action, not more fudge.

“Frontline care professionals are already disappointed at the delays, and we would urge whoever is chairing the meeting to stand for no nonsense, no points-scoring and no further hold-ups.

“There are mortal deadlines here, and this must not be forgotten. We are dealing with our most vulnerable citizens. 2012 must not be their year of living anxiously.

“The government needs to recognise that while they may be agonising over the cost, the reality is that people and families who need care appreciate that there’s a cost involved: but the current system is not fit for purpose. Too much is spent via the NHS and too little is devoted to social care by increasingly cash-strapped councils. The Government must deliver on its promises of ensuring millions no longer face the risk of a postcode lottery of care and of losing all their life savings to pay for care costs which taxpayers cover for others. Money for care has not been ring-fenced for care and therefore not being spent on the care that is needed by an increasingly aging population.

“Saga, now the nation's largest provider of home care, has 18,000 carers providing two million hours of care a month, and we have regular contact with millions of over-50s, many of whom are touched by the care issue. And the overriding opinion of virtually every one of them is disbelief that such a vital issue – described by the government itself as ‘urgent’ – can be taking so long to sort out.

“We call on the government to introduce meaningful reforms, encourage people to save for their future care needs and take away the biggest risks of catastrophic care costs, so people have proper incentives to save. We also need to see the Government ensuring that all local authorities are forced to plan properly for the care needs of their constituents - a ten-year plan to cope with the rising costs of caring for older people is an essential reform to ensure councils have to factor the needs of more older people properly into account.”

Ends

For further information:

Saga Press Office

01303 771529.

www.saga.co.uk

Iain Macauley

im@pressrelations.co.uk

07788 978800

MORE THAN HALF OF PEOPLE SAY ELDERLY RELATIVES NEED MORE HOME HELP

SAGA HOMECARE

PRESS RELEASE

January 11, 2012.

MORE THAN HALF OF PEOPLE SAY ELDERLY RELATIVES NEED MORE HOME HELP.

29% of people who saw elderly relatives 
over the Christmas period say they noticed a deterioration in their condition since last seeing them.

People who visited elderly relatives over Christmas and New Year say that they were faced with a double-whammy of worry.

Independent research carried out for Saga Homecare showed that 54% of families thought their elderly relatives needed more home help, and 29% said they’d noticed a deterioration in the physical or mental health of older family members since they last saw them before the Christmas break.

“Our research showed that 29%** of people visiting their elderly relatives over the Christmas period noticed a deterioration in their condition, and more than half (54%**) felt that their loved-ones could do with a little extra help around the home,” said John Ivers, Chief Executive, Saga Homecare.

“However, while 29% was the national average, the figure was significantly higher in Wales where 49% of families surveyed said they noticed a deterioration in their relative’s health, and 60% of families said they believed elderly relatives needed more home help.”

Families are far more likely to notice changes in the health of elderly relatives at Christmas. In a recent survey of more than 11,000 over-50s for Saga Homecare, families admitted that they spent more than twice as much time with elderly relatives over the Christmas period than usual*.  This increased contact leads many families to realise that their loved one may need more help in and around the home.

“Whether this is a decrease in their mobility or mental state, or in their ability to carry out general day to day tasks, it is certainly a wake up call for many families.  Whilst it may not be practical to spend more time with elderly relatives this year, getting them a little help around the home could be the answer to ensuring loved-ones can remain independent and in their own homes for as long as possible.”

Ends

For further information:

Saga Press Office
01303 771529.

www.saga.co.uk

Iain Macauley
im@pressrelations.co.uk
07788 978800

Notes to editors

Saga Homecare is the UK’s largest provider of domiciliary care with 18,000 carers providing some 2million hours of care each month.

Information about Saga Homecare can be requested on 0800 046 8568

*Research carried out by Populus who interviewed 10,889 Saga customers, all aged 50+, online between 11th November and 17th November 2011. Populus is a member of the British Polling Council and abides by its rules; for more information see www.populus.co.uk.

Regional split of the amount of time people normally spend with elderly relatives/ friends over a typical month

	London	South East	South West	West Midlands	East Midlands	North West	North East	Yorks& Humber	East Anglia	Scotland	Wales	Northern Ireland
Mean number of days	2.58	2.76	2.79	3.18	2.90	3.30	3.28	3.10	2.78	3.14	3.10	2.84

**Research carried out amongst 1007 adults.  Fieldwork was undertaken between 4^th – 5^th January 2012.  The survey was carried out online.  The figures have been weighted and are representative of all GB adults (aged 18+).

CARE CRISIS: GOVERNMENT REDEFINES “URGENT PRIORITY” SAYS OVER-50S GROUP SAGA.

SAGA

QUOTES

January 3, 2012.

CARE CRISIS: GOVERNMENT REDEFINES “URGENT PRIORITY” SAYS OVER-50S GROUP SAGA.

Commenting on the letter in the Daily Telegraph highlighting the impending care crisis, Saga's head of communications, Paul Green said:

“The delays in social care reform are provoking a critical condition affecting both the care system and the NHS.

“The government says it is an ‘urgent priority’, but it seems to have redefined both words. Coalition Ministers and Shadows alike have been saying it is an urgent priority since well before the 2010 General Election. The credibility of each and every politician hiding behind that faux furrowed-brow statement falls with each utterance.

“‘Urgent priority’ means immediate identification of a problem, immediate proposal of a solution, and immediate implementation of that solution. We’ve seen it with almost-instant changes in gun law and youth unemployment policy, and breast implants could well become the next health issue to be fast-tracked.

“Each of those affects far fewer people – so it remains an utter mystery why an issue affecting not just individuals but their families too, every single one of which is up against a mortal deadline, warrants a different and more sedate definition of ‘urgent priority’.

“Andrew Dilnot has provided some workable and realistic proposals for care funding and support, but that the government has barely uttered his name since July makes us fear for the mortality of those proposals.

“We fear further delay, we fear a damp squib. The tone of Mr Burstow in his statement that plans to change the system will be announced in the spring suggests the government may not consider the care issue to be either ‘urgent’ or ‘a priority’.

"2012 must be a year of action not of delay." Ends

For further information:

Saga Press Office
01303 771529.

www.saga.co.uk

Iain Macauley
im@pressrelations.co.uk
07788 978800

HOME CARE CRISIS “AS BIG AS A CITY” ”: MORE SHAMEFUL AND SHOCKING EVIDENCE

DR ROS ALTMANN

@SagaRosAltmann

DIRECTOR-GENERAL, SAGA

PRESS RELEASE

November 23, 2011.

HOME CARE CRISIS “AS BIG AS A CITY” ”: MORE SHAMEFUL AND SHOCKING EVIDENCE SHOWS REAL IMPACT OF CARE CUTS.

RADICAL REFORM IS LONG OVERDUE

The government is failing to act to head off a home care crisis “as big as a city” despite constant and overwhelming evidence from an avalanche of reports.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission and Care Quality Commission have highlighted again the poor standards of social care suffered by many older people – primarily caused by huge, and growing, shortfalls in local authority care budgets.

“Of course, there is wonderful care out there, but as councils keep cutting care budgets, standards can only get worse: hardly a week goes by without another damning report into the treatment of the elderly and vulnerable in this country. But so far, nothing has actually been done to address the reality of the day-to-day indignities many older people endure,” said Dr Ros Altmann, Director-General of over-50s organisation Saga.

“Today's report, from the Equality and Human Rights Commission, says that 250,000 older people – the equivalent of the population of a city the size of Derby or Southampton - are receiving poor or very poor standards of home care including verbal and physical abuse, near-cursory 15-minute ‘task-ticking’ visits– there should be a statutory minimum way higher than that - and little or no help in eating and drinking.

“But as the EHRC points out, the figure may actually be higher because many more may well be too frightened to complain. What’s more, that’s just home care: one element of a social care system which is becoming deluged as we live longer lives.

“The government knows about these issues – how can they not, as they are continually presented with evidence of a care system in crisis? Predictable pre-packaged Ministerial responses expressing outrage and pledging action are not enough.

“Let me ask this: when was the last time we saw any decisive action – as opposed to talk?

“Of course, we welcome the CQC’s proposed home care inspection plans, as well as any move which will help improve the quality and consistency of care – and consequently the quality of life – for our older generations. But the CQC has stopped inspecting the local authority commissioners themselves. If we do not tackle the root cause of the problem - inadequate resources for care - how can we expect decent care?

“We need to properly fund our care system and revere it as much as we do the NHS. We need a consistent regulatory and monitoring system that promotes and encourages best practice, not inconsistent and unprepared knee-jerk responses.

“The question needs to be asked just who monitors the local authority commissioners? They are putting pressure on care providers to offer the lowest priced possible care - and it should be obvious that 15 minute visits make it impossible to deliver adequate care. How do we get health and homecare to work in tandem, and get people back in their own home where they want to be and where care is most cost effective?

“It is vital that we drive the retention of some excellent people who do a tremendous job - the vast silent majority who never get a mention in dispatches. We need to promote care as a career and a profession, and highlight the requirement for best practice, and applaud it where we see it.”

Ends

For further information:

Saga Press Office
01303 771529.

www.saga.co.uk

Iain Macauley
im@pressrelations.co.uk
07788 978800

YES – BRING BACK CHEQUE GUARANTEE CARDS, SAYS SAGA.

DR ROS ALTMANN

DIRECTOR-GENERAL, SAGA.

@SagaRosAltmann

QUOTES.

November 16, 2011.

YES – BRING BACK CHEQUE GUARANTEE CARDS, SAYS SAGA.

Commenting on news that the Payments Council is reviewing the possible reintroduction of the cheque guarantee card, Dr Ros Altmann, Director-General of over-50s group Saga, welcomed the move, saying:

“This would be a fantastic development for several groups of people. Older people do like to use cheques rather than credit or debit cards – many over-50s have lived with cheques for virtually their entire lives, and don’t quite trust electronic methods of moving of money, but, equally, don’t like carrying cash around.  Small businesses or tradesmen also often rely on cheques for payment and would sometimes struggle without the security of a guarantee card.

“Of course, the decision earlier this year to keep cheques as a means of payment was great news, Saga had been calling for this for a long time, but it was never quite as great as it could have been, Without a cheque guarantee card the vast majority of businesses were reluctant – or even refused point blank – to accept cheques as a means of payment.

“Younger generations are far more comfortable with change and innovation – and view electronic movement of money as convenient – but older generations haven’t quite accepted, and often simply don’t understand or have the means to move money in a digital world.

“I sometimes wonder if older people choose not to spend at all rather than use processes they don’t like or understand, so, in a small way, providing them with a way of spending may have positive effects on the economy too.”

Ends

For further information:

Saga Press Office
01303 771529.

www.saga.co.uk

Iain Macauley
im@pressrelations.co.uk
07788 978800

UNLAWFUL LOCAL AUTHORITY CARE BUDGET CUTS: PREPARE FOR THE LEGAL CHALLENGE DELUGE, SAYS SAGA.

DR ROS ALTMANN

DIRECTOR-GENERAL, SAGA.

@SagaRosAltmann

QUOTES.

November 11, 2011.

UNLAWFUL LOCAL AUTHORITY CARE BUDGET CUTS: PREPARE FOR THE LEGAL CHALLENGE DELUGE, SAYS SAGA.

Commenting on this week’s court cases in which at least two local authorities have been told that cutting of freezing fees to cover the cost of social care for the elderly and disabled is unlawful, Dr Ros Altmann, Director-General of over-50s group Saga, said:

“Until the Government properly recognises the need to fund social care properly, these challenges will keep coming and local authorities will remain under pressure. Consider this: A hospital bed costs around £2,000 a week. A week’s social care - whether in a care home or domiciliary - costs between £400 and £700 depending upon needs and location.

”We have to take a step back and consider the bigger picture: in the space of just a few days a number of local authorities have been told that cutting or freezing budgets to spend on the most vulnerable in our society is unlawful. This leaves all councils with a huge problem and will potentially leave local authority budgets in chaos.

“The local authorities have been forced into this position because of cutbacks and austerity measures - they are in a very difficult position; but the victims are the people who are least able to fend for themselves.

“This, now -bearing in mind we are aware of further impending legal challenges and court cases of this nature - surely sends a signal to government and policymakers that the social care funding issue needs to move swiftly to the top of the agenda.

“The cases and judgments this week are individual victories, but they are also precedents for other claims and challenges.

“That means there is now every danger that the social care and legal systems could well be swamped with costly and time-consuming claims and challenges. The key is unlocking and unblocking the social care system with proper investment and commitment, releasing NHS beds by taking the elderly and vulnerable out of hospitals and back into the community, and saving billions of pounds. The sooner we grasp this nettle with proper radical reform, the better.

“Social care must be valued more highly - since it can be just as life-threatening to withhold social care from those who need it, as it would be to withhold medical care.”

Ends

For further information:

Contact: Dr. Ros Altmann - 07545 504 513 or Saga Press Office 01303 771529.

www.saga.co.uk

LEGAL TEAMS SCRAMBLED ACROSS THE COUNTRY AS HIGH COURT RULES COUNCIL CARE FEE FREEZES ARE UNLAWFUL.

DR ROS ALTMANN

DIRECTOR-GENERAL, SAGA

@SagaRosAltmann

QUOTES.

November 9, 2011.

LEGAL TEAMS SCRAMBLED ACROSS THE COUNTRY AS HIGH COURT RULES COUNCIL CARE FEE FREEZES ARE UNLAWFUL.

Dr Ros Altmann, Director-General of over-50s group Saga, commenting on the ruling today, November 9, 2011, in the High Court that Sefton Council’s decision to freeze fees for people needing care in the borough is unlawful:

“I expect many local authorities have been taken aback by this ruling, and quite a few legal and financial teams scrambled to assess what could be a massive impact upon the way councils fund care for older people, and how this ruling could reach far and wide.

“Once again the old and vulnerable are in the news as being on the receiving end of care and support shortfalls - but on this occasion their representatives have bitten back and bitten hard.

“Rather than rising to the challenge of funding the extra care needs of our ageing population, local authorities are continually cutting the care needs they will cover, leaving frail older people to fend for themselves - even freezing funding in the face of significant cost rises. This is an outrage and has rightly been declared illegal.

“In its ruling today that it is unlawful for local authorities to freeze care funding in this way purely to cut its own costs and without regard to the actual cost of providing care, the High Court has certainly put the cat among the pigeons. The flawed funding system of social care in England is being brutally exposed and the impact of local authority cuts and lack of long term funding is leaving increasing numbers of vulnerable older people without adequate care.

“The problem is one that has been highlighted so many times recently and stems from the fundamental fact that social care is the poor relation in our health system - and is not integrated with the NHS. Social care is largely run and funded by local authorities, whose budgets are being squeezed as never before, even while demand for care is rising inexorably year on year.

“But that leaves us with the underlying problem that local authorities do not have enough money to pay for proper care and, while resources are all focussed on the NHS, care is being neglected - and thus those needing care are also neglected.

“When will we wake up to the challenges and threats of such severe care underfunding?

“We need a radical overhaul of the whole system and the Dilnot review sets out a credible framework for action. This must include ringfencing public funding, better integration between NHS and social care, investment in prevention and early intervention, as well as an end to across-the-board care cutbacks by local authorities.

“Inadequate social care can be just as life-threatening as withholding medical care, especially for our increasing numbers of older people, yet somehow public money places all the emphasis on just one part of the picture.”

Ends

For further information:

Saga Press Office
01303 771529.

www.saga.co.uk

Iain Macauley
im@pressrelations.co.uk
07788 978800

CQC REPORT: SYSTEM OVERWHELMED - ELDERLY SHOULD BE AT HOME, NOT IN HOSPITAL.

SAGA

QUOTES 
 
October 13, 2011. 

CQC REPORT: SYSTEM OVERWHELMED - ELDERLY SHOULD BE AT HOME, NOT IN HOSPITAL.

 
Commenting on the CQC report into care of the elderly in hospital, Paul Green, head of communications for the over-50s group Saga, said:
 
“There are far too many older people in hospital because of lack of provision of suitable social and medical care in the community. What’s more, the proportion of patients in hospital who are frail and elderly is steadily rising - and they have much greater care needs which sometimes completely overwhelm the hospital staffing resource. 
 
“The key question could well be whether the conditions reported by the CQC are sparked by demoralised staff, poor management or financial pressures – each of which can be addressed – or whether a poor attitude towards the elderly and vulnerable is becoming endemic – which is not so easily addressed. 
 
“The vast majority of nursing staff are caring, conscientious and committed. The one question the report does not appear to answer is why this attitude has developed, and why in some hospitals and not others. 
 
“That it is not common across all hospitals means that there are clearly specific issues at specific hospitals, which provide a solid basis for investigation and redress. 
 
“Nevertheless, it is yet more evidence that the elderly and vulnerable continue to be dealt poor hands when it comes to care and support.” 

Ends

Further information:

For further information:

Saga Press Office
01303 771529.

www.saga.co.uk

Iain Macauley
im@pressrelations.co.uk
07788 978800