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Elderly residents could suffer in care home row

Sue Carr
18/12/2002

ELDERLY residents could be left out in the cold this Christmas after Tameside Council blacklisted 11 care homes in a row over low fees.

Some patients may be facing a miserable holiday in hospital after the council refused to place any more clients in the homes.

But home owners say that 10 years of council cutbacks and failure to keep up with inflation is forcing many homes into financial ruin.

They are now demanding that the shortfall is paid and an increase in fees is made in a desperate bid to survive.

Jack Meredith, manager of the Lakes Care Centre in Dukinfield, said that he was forced to subsidise his own home by £30,000 each year in order to stay open.

Unless the fees are increased, many other homes could be facing closure in the new year, he claims

The council currently pays a daily rate of £38 per resident but Mr Meredith, who is also chairman of Tameside's Care Homes Association, said that an increase to more than £45 would only just cover costs.

He said: "We have billed the council for the money, but they are refusing to pay it. They are also refusing to place any more clients which has led to bed blocking in hospitals."

Mr Meredith added: "At the moment if a care home is full then they can barely make a profit but if it is not then they don't stand a chance.

"The care homes are prepared to stand up to them now because we can't win anyway so we may as well go down fighting."

But Cllr John Taylor, cabinet deputy for personal services, defended the council's decision and claimed Mr Meredith was telling different stories to different people.

He said: "These care homes contacted us and said they would start to issue eviction notices on all the residents being funded by the council.

"Our lawyers advised us that if we were to place anyone in those homes with the threat of eviction hanging over them then we would have some responsibility."

He added: "I think you have to question people who are prepared to do that to elderly people.

"We are working very hard to put more money into residential care, but we can only pass on to them what gets given to us."

The council and care homes staff were due to meet to discuss funding after the time of writing.