Closing Care Homes

[dave50]

Why is it that a lot of local authorities, when they find they have to economise, always seem to want to close care homes? I cannot believe that within their multi million pound budgets with all the waste incompetence that goes with it, they expect us to believe there aren't other areas that can't be cut that won't affect the vulnerable. I suspect it is more to do with making a political point, so they can blame the government and the 'savage cuts'.

[pixie373]

I'm not sure which area you're in, but around here, most of them have been updated/ rebuilt/ extended as far as I can tell

[VHG]

You will find this is normally Labour councils.

They want to show how "awful" the Tories are for making them close care homes, libraries and other front line services.

You will find Tory controlled councils find other ways of saving money which involves back end services that nobody notices.

[sfby]

Please evidence "the waste and incompetence" you mention. (Without reference to the Daily Mail - that really doesn't count as source material).

[Old_Geezer]

I'm amazed there isn't enough money to provide services anyway what with the tax we pay in, and in light of the ability of past generations to supply services. I've lost all confidence in government at all levels to get it right, although I'm at a loss to know what or who to replace them with. They just seem to want to rip me off and provide as little as they can get away with.

[Canary42]

Hardly surprising that Tory councils find more back end savings considering their over-lavish spending in those areas (e.g. Councillor expenses, Jollies, etc.).

[Zeuhl]

/a lot of local authorities/ which ones precisely?

/always seem to want to close care homes?/ do they? who does?

/with all the waste incompetence/ what evidence is there for this claim?

/they expect us to believe there aren't other areas that can't be cut that won't affect the vulnerable./ do 'they'? Any links?

Dave: All seems very presumptuous and too vague to comment on

However, a good indicator of your inherent cynicism about Local Government

[emmie]

and libraries, and rubbish and recycling collections, few bobbies on the beat, some of our fire stations are facing closure, not sure who is responsible but seems very foolhardy. i wonder sometimes what they do with all the revenue they do collect.

[Zeuhl]

^
em

I'm pretty sure our local authority send us a breakdown each year of their accounts, itemising income and where it all goes

Mind you, it still doesn't necessarily mean monies spent are appropriate or 'well spent'

[ummmm]

I don't know about care homes but our council seems to have improved. It's a Tory council.

[emmie]

and ours is Labour run, they are more interested in promoting diversity in the community and providing literature in so many languages, no wonder they have to make cutbacks in crucial areas.

[naomi24]

I agree with Em. I think some local authorities have their priorities wrong.

[emmie]

we get a booklet with a pie chart of expenditure, i am more interested in why they need so many big wigs and little wigs, not to mention a new building for their council people to the tune of 100 million quid. I have no idea if that is still going ahead, but it wouldn't surprise me.

[mikey4444]

Its a great pity that these Councils didn't start by closing down some of the care homes where old people have been dreadfully mistreated.

[bednobs]

gven that the average price for a care hme is around £500 per week per resident, for say 40 residents, that's over 1 million pounds a year!

[emmie]

some i have come across via family and friends average 1 grand a month, outrageous

[emmie]

sorry that was a week not month

[ummmm]

Prices depends on whether it's a care home or a nursing home.

My nan who suffers with dementia is in a care home. Grandad who had mobility and health problems was in a nursing home. The difference was about £150 a week even though nans home was far superior.

[ummmm]

Em...that's cheap. My nans is £500 a week.

[emmie]

as per my second post.