Worries as number of Sheffield care home beds for elderly hits a record low

Care home representatives and charities warn vulnerable people could be put at risk without more funding to increase capacity in the sector across England , which has been strained by Covid-19.

Public Health England data shows there were 9.7 care homes beds per 100 people aged 75 and over in Sheffield at the end of March.

This was the lowest rate since comparable records began in 2011.

The figure includes residential homes, which provide accommodation and help with needs such as washing and dressing, and nursing homes, which are staffed by nurses and offer support to people with more complex needs.

The trend in Sheffield was similar to that across England, where the rate also dropped to a record low of 9.6 per 100 in March, down slightly from 9.8 last year.

Martin Green, chief executive of charity Care England, said he feared the long-term capacity of the system could be “severely depleted” without further funding, after years of austerity and lack of investment.

He added: “The unprecedented cost pressures leveraged by Covid-19 put the future of many care providers into question, especially when one considers the burdened nature of the care sector even prior to Covid-19.”

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The group is calling for support such as the Infection Control Fund – a £600 million package announced in May to tackle the spread of the coronavirus in care homes – to be extended to help care providers get through the pandemic.

Caroline Abrahams, charity director of Age UK, said a lack of funding is forcing some care homes to close.

The resulting decline in nursing home beds is a “serious concern”, she said, as few alternatives exist for people who need such care, apart from hospital.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said: “The number of care home beds remains stable and care given at home is growing, with innovation and technology allowing people to live at home for longer.

“We know there is a need for a long-term solution for social care and are looking at a range of proposals as part of our commitment to bringing forward a plan that puts the sector on a sustainable footing for the future.”

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