BBC Radio Cymru care home report
Published on 05 September 2012 08:30 AM
Commenting on reports from BBC Radio Cymru today that 600 council-run care home beds have been lost in Wales since 2007, Age Cymru's Policy Adviser Amy Clifton says:
"These figures show there is huge regional variation in the number of places in council-run care homes across Wales.
"In our view, how a residential or nursing home is owned is a secondary issue to the quality of care provided.
"However recent funding issues have shown that robust regulation is vital to ensure that that residents are not threatened by unnecessarily due to homes closing for financial reasons.
"In general we believe that the existing arrangements for providing care in Wales are struggling under increasing pressure and a lack of resources.
"Under current funding arrangements a significant number of people are required to self-fund their care.
"Many residential homes routinely increase fees for self-funders and we believe it is extremely unfair that two people receiving exactly the same care in a residential home can be charged very different fees, with those in private arrangements effectively subsiding state-funded provision.
"Self-funders in private residential homes are among the most vulnerable as they are not currently protected by the Human Rights Act.
"Age Cymru believes that this loophole must be closed by the UK Government to ensure that all older people have the same protection from mistreatment."