Former care home owner launches campaign to get ‘councils to pay the true cost of care’ and end ‘the hidden shifting of costs onto private households and care providers’.
Care operator leaders are backing a campaign by a former homeowner for the government to introduce a national social care tariff, so councils pay the true cost of care.
Jon Allen has launched a government petition after the recent closure of his care home business due to what he called an “increasingly unsustainable financial, commissioning and regulatory framework”.
The petition, which calls for a ‘transparent national social care tariff’ to ‘end the hidden shifting of costs onto private households’, has been backed by care leaders online.
It comes amid growing pressure for a different funding model for adult social care as the Independent Casey Commission prepares recommendations for a National Care Service, promised by the government in its election manifesto.
Reacting to the news that the petition had been published by the government, Geoffrey Cox, managing director at Devon care home operator Southern Healthcare, said it reflected a “need [that]is extremely urgent” and Umbreen David, director of care home operator Hoama Group, said it was “great news.”
Mr Allen - who recently closed his operator Value Care that ran two homes in Newport Pagnell and Worcester - is calling for people from across care providers, commissioners, service users and carers to back the petition so it reaches 100,000 signatures – the minimum number it needs to be considered for parliamentary debate.
“The acceptance that local authorities pay significantly less for care services than what they actually cost to provide means the shortfall is paid by everyone else in the system - by families either subsidising topping up or unable to find affordable care, by staff through low wages and poor terms and conditions, and by smaller independent providers who absorb losses, close down or who are unable to maintain safe effective services.,” said Mr Allen.
“A national care tariff based on a realistic price for care creates fairness and transparency for all, and would reflect the real costs of care delivery in modest, affordable care home accommodation.
“It should be available to everyone irrespective of whether they are paying for care themselves or their fees are being met by the taxpayer.
“We will only get a fairly funded, transparent social care system if enough people tell our government they care about this,” he added.
At time of writing, the petition had reached just over 400 signatures. It needs to get to 10,000 signatures by October to trigger a Government response.
