New system proposed for care home placements amid growing demand

Nation.Cymru staff

A new system for placing older people in care homes is being proposed amid growing demand for dementia and nursing care.

Cardiff Council is considering an overhaul of the way it commissions care home places, including new quality standards, changes to pricing and measures intended to make more specialist care available.

The proposals are due to go before the council’s Cabinet on September 17 and would affect how placements are arranged with independent care home providers.

Council figures show the city’s population aged 85 and over is expected to increase significantly over the next decade, adding to demand for nursing and specialist dementia care.

Under the proposed framework, care homes would have to meet specified quality standards before they could be included among providers used by the council.

Older people and their families would continue to be offered a choice of suitable homes which meet those requirements.

The council also wants to give providers greater certainty over future placements in an attempt to encourage investment in additional capacity and specialist services.

Changes are also proposed to the way care home placements are used when patients are ready to leave hospital but cannot return home.

The council says increasing the availability of appropriate placements could reduce delays in discharging older patients from hospital.

More respite care would also be sought for older people, providing temporary support and giving unpaid carers and family members a break from caring responsibilities.

A new pricing model is proposed in an attempt to make the amount the council pays providers more consistent and transparent.

Improved access 

Cllr Norma Mackie, Cardiff Council’s Cabinet Member for Adult Services and Public Health, said: “We know demand for dementia and nursing care is increasing, and these proposals are about creating a care home commissioning system that is fit for the future.

“The new framework would improve access to placements while ensuring people and their families continue to have choice and are supported to find the care home that is right for them.

“It would introduce consistent quality standards, provide greater certainty for providers, encourage investment in future capacity and support faster access to the care and support people need.

“It would also help improve hospital discharge pathways, increase respite provision for unpaid carers and deliver a more transparent approach to pricing that supports both provider sustainability and value for money.”

Cllr Mackie said the proposals had been developed following discussions with care providers, people using services and their families.

The plans will first be considered by the council’s Community and Adult Services Scrutiny Committee on September 14 before going to Cabinet three days later.

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