20 care homes under threat as Devon looks to private sector

A total of 20 care homes face an uncertain future after Devon County Council launched a consultation to buy care from the private sector rather than providing it themselves.

The local authority must find £110million worth of cuts by 2017 and says it is substantially cheaper to commission services rather than provide them in house.

Councillor Stuart Barker, the council’s cabinet member responsible for adult social care said there was no change in entitlement to care, just how it was delivered.

He urged families and anyone affected to take part in the 45 day consultation.

“At this stage we want to talk to residents and their families and others about the options,” he said.

“We continue to be fully committed to funding residential care for those assessed as needing our support.

“This is not about removing a service. We’re not changing eligibility, so those who are entitled to residential care will continue to receive it. This is about where people receive that service in future.

“People’s comments will help us decide how we take this forward.

“If we decide to cease providing residential care ourselves and instead to use the private sector, any change would have to be made over a period of time, on case by case basis that is sensitive to people’s needs.

“It’s clear, from talking to charities, carers and private care home owners, that although there are a small number of areas where the care home market needs development, overall there is plenty of capacity in the private sector, and that they can provide it at less cost to the council.”

Private sector care homes currently account for about 85 per cent of people, around 1,986 placements, whose residential care is publicly funded by the County Council.

County council-run homes account for the remainder of the market, around 337 placements.

However, the authority says that with many of its 20 homes under-occupied and in need of considerable redesign to support changing needs in future, the council’s costs to provide care is far higher than the equivalent in the private sector.

The council pays private care homes on average £433 a week for a care bed, however, its own homes cost on average £970 per bed per week.