The number of care homes in England has fallen by 10 per cent since 2015.
An analysis by the House of Commons Library, based on Care Quality Commission data, has shown that there were 16,938 homes across the country six years ago – a number that has fallen by 1,698.
While the average number of beds per care home rose from 27 to 30 during that time, 5,110 beds have been lost overall. Some areas have lost 40 per cent of care home beds, exposing a postcode lottery in the availability of residential social care places.
Whitehall insiders have blamed local councils for the trend. Under the Care Act 2014, authorities are required to shape local markets to ensure high-quality and sustainable social care options.
Critics warned that scarce space in English care homes raised the risk of elderly people with care needs having to be looked after in hospitals that are already under severe pressure from Covid.
‘Government must urgently fix problem’
Last month, Chris Hopson, the head of NHS Providers, warned that delayed discharges from hospital – driven by a shortage of social care staff – was contributing as the bed occupancy rate across the health service reached 94 to 96 per cent. He said more than 10,000 beds were occupied by medically fit patients in the second week of December.
At the same time, it emerged that hotels were being converted into temporary care facilities, with staff flown in from Spain and Greece, to relieve the strain on NHS hospital beds.
Sir Ed Davey, the Liberal Democrat leader, called on the Government to “urgently fix” the problem to ease pressure on the NHS and ensure that elderly people received the care they deserve.
He told The Telegraph: “Our social care system has never been in such a dire state, with the provision of services simply not sufficient to meet demand.
“That there is a postcode lottery on whether our loved ones will have a care home bed is shameful, and a damning indictment of a Conservative government that has spent years dragging its feet on this issue.”
A Department of Health and Social Care spokeswoman said: “We are committed to delivering world-leading social care across the country – that’s why we’re investing an additional £5.4 billion over three years to reform adult social care.
“We expect local authorities to ensure providers are offering good quality care, improving workforce conditions and are investing in services and new innovations. Local authorities have a duty to ensure people’s needs for care and support are met.”
