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Home > Corporate > Press Release > 2006 Press Releases > The Consortium's care show dinner debate

1st November 2006

Trade bodies representing the care sector have failed in their principal purpose - to help secure an increase in funding for homes.

The admission was made by Martin Green, Chief Executive of the English Community Care Association (ECCA), at a special dinner forum organised by procurement and fulfilment company The Consortium.

The gathering, held on the eve of the Care Show at the NEC in Birmingham, was chaired by David Brindle, Public Services Editor of The Guardian and attended by representatives of leading care providers including Somerset Care and Methodist Homes Association. The Consortium was represented by Chief Executive Melanie Teal and Marketing and Sales director, Brian Potter.

Other themes to emerge from the event included:

• Concern at the new "star rating" inspection system being proposed by the CSCI, the fear that a "two tier" care system may result, and the impact on homes of increased regulation such as fire safety standards and risk assessments
• The effect on care homes of the requirement for care staff to have professional qualifications, despite low wage rates
• The fear that increased consolidation in the sector, in particular the increased involvement of venture capital groups, would result in a "build 'em high, build 'em cheap" mentality
• An admission that the plethora of representative bodies may need to be reduced in future
• The fact that "ageism" is still prevalent in society, the perception being that more money is made available for children's care packages compared with those of the elderly
• The need for the care industry to promote its quality and professionalism more proactively, particularly in the national media

There was general agreement that funding and fee levels were the most pressing issue facing the care sector.

Martin Green commented: "Very often local authorities can get embroiled in their own structures, with the result that funding does not reach the end user in the way it should.

"Despite everything that organisations such as ours have achieved, I am the first to admit that we have not been able to affect fees at a local level, and that is the bottom line. Quite simply, the Government will not force errant local authorities to fund care properly.

"We all need to start thinking more creatively about other ways to fund care, for example linking pensions to long-term care insurance, or perhaps the Government could provide tax breaks to encourage people to provide for their own care.

"What is frustrating is that more services could be delivered if the global Government budget was used. We don't automatically have to think in terms of tax increases, it just means long-term care receiving a fairer budget allocation from the Chancellor."

Mr Green added that the requirement for care home owners to complete a risk assessment had become a "tyranny" for many, and that there was a "lack of consistency" about the star rating system inspection being proposed by the Commission for Social Care Inspection.

"We could be looking at some big court cases in future, when the issue of professional liability insurance comes up, because it will be that much more difficult for owners to defend their position. Above all we need to ensure that a formulaic 'tick box' approach does not become all-pervasive in social care," he said.

Sue Helliker, Quality Assurance Manager at Somerset Care, said there was concern at the increased consolidation in the sector, with venture capitalists increasingly viewing the care sector as a lucrative investment.

She said wage rates had long been acknowledged as a problem in the sector, with many homes struggling to recruit and increasingly having to rely on migrant workers.

"There is a real fear that a 'build 'em cheap, build 'em high" mentality will take over and that care homes will become bigger and bigger so that these new investors can maximise their returns," she said.

"Care practice has changed tremendously in the last five to ten years. We now have a much more skilled, caring and qualified workforce but many feel they are being 'nobbled' at every turn, and attracting new people into the industry is not easy when you can earn more money stacking supermarket shelves."

Brian Potter added: "While no-one will argue that staff need to be as qualified and professional as possible, there is definitely a fear of NVQs and other qualifications among the older generation of care workers. It is precisely these people who tend to be the best, most experienced staff.

"I share the concern that the next phase of consolidation could lead to a situation where we have the accountants delivering the care, not the carers, so that eventually costs and quality will be sacrificed for profit."

Martin Green commented that the various sector associations did liaise with each other regularly, but that in future, a more unified voice may be required. He also highlighted a perceived "ageism" being practised against older people, particularly in relation to children's care.

"I do attend regular meetings of the various associations but there is no doubt that in the coming years, the care sector will need to be speak with a more unified voice. My feeling is that this 'voice' may be different from what exists now," he commented.