84% of care home beds in England owned by private firms
Very thought provoking article in relation to an issue of great significance for rural settings. It tells us:
More than eight out of 10 care home beds are provided by profit-driven companies, including more than 50,000 by large operators owned by private equity firms, research reveals.
Private companies now own and run 84% of beds in care homes in England used by older people, as local councils have almost totally withdrawn from a key area of social care they used to dominate.
The disclosure of the private sector’s huge market share has raised concerns because some of the biggest operators have large debts, are alleged to use tax avoidance schemes and drive down staff pay. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) watchdog has said inadequate staffing levels at care homes can lead to elderly residents receiving poor-quality care.
For-profit companies own 381,524 (83.6%) of England’s 456,545 care home beds, research by the IPPR thinktank (in partnership with Future Care Capital) has found, based on analysis of data from the CQC and Companies House, an increase on the 82% in 2015.
“The state has abdicated its responsibility for providing care over recent decades. The private sector may have filled this gap but it consistently puts profits before people,” said Harry Quilter-Pinner, a senior research fellow at the IPPR and co-author of the report.