Blackburn with Darwen care pledge as elderly ‘go private’

3:30pm Thursday 24th January 2013 in News Photograph of the Author By Bill Jacobs, Local government reporter

CARE boss for Blackburn and Darwen Mohammed Khan has promised every resident moved from the four council old people’s homes facing closure will have a personal care plan to smooth their transfer to the private sector.

He promised that none of them would shut before October this year and only when residents had been found a place in the two new extra care plus developments being built in the borough.

Coun Khan pledged that the state-of-the art residential facilities being built in the borough over the next three years will provide a better quality environment for current and future residents.

He said: “We will be speaking to service users and their families and carrying out formal assessments, so every resident will have a care plan that identifies their needs and how they want us to support them through any move from their current home into a new home.

“Some residents may choose to move as a group with their friends and we will support them to make that happen, linking this with the new developments for older people’s care in the borough over the next two and half years.”

He was responding to concerns about the transfer and about possible reductions in home care services and increases in charges. Coun Khan revealed that the cost of a council run care home bed can be twice as much as that charged by the independent sector, permitting £1m saving per year if the four homes were to close.

Chief Executive Harry Catherall said: “The independent sector already provides 85 per cent of all care home beds for older people in the borough and is better placed to offer high quality accommodation that is sustainable over the longer term.”

“Consultation will start in February before a final decision is made in March.”

Comments (9)

5:42pm Thu 24 Jan 13

mavrick says...

A couple of questions arise out of this, Why is it so much cheaper to transfer to a private home? Since when was care in the private sector better? What control will anybody have over care home charges when there is no alternative? It looks like the Tories have privatised the council out of existence.
A couple of questions arise out of this, Why is it so much cheaper to transfer to a private home? Since when was care in the private sector better? What control will anybody have over care home charges when there is no alternative? It looks like the Tories have privatised the council out of existence. mavrick

7:05pm Thu 24 Jan 13

buckoff says...

mavrick wrote:
A couple of questions arise out of this, Why is it so much cheaper to transfer to a private home? Since when was care in the private sector better? What control will anybody have over care home charges when there is no alternative? It looks like the Tories have privatised the council out of existence.
What's it got to do with the Tories, this is Labour yet again could not run the local nursing homes more efficiently than private health care. Proving how unfit they are at running anything.
[quote][p][bold]mavrick[/bold] wrote: A couple of questions arise out of this, Why is it so much cheaper to transfer to a private home? Since when was care in the private sector better? What control will anybody have over care home charges when there is no alternative? It looks like the Tories have privatised the council out of existence.[/p][/quote]What's it got to do with the Tories, this is Labour yet again could not run the local nursing homes more efficiently than private health care. Proving how unfit they are at running anything. buckoff

9:13pm Thu 24 Jan 13

julespent says...

From my experience Council Care Homes are far better than a lot of the privately run ones, ask yourself why will it save money? How is money saved? (Wages and numbers of staff). If it was a member of my family i know which i would prefer if i had the choice. This is terrible news, feel so bad for the residents (if they survive the upset) and the staff (who will lose their jobs) that work so hard in these homes. My heart goes out to you all.
From my experience Council Care Homes are far better than a lot of the privately run ones, ask yourself why will it save money? How is money saved? (Wages and numbers of staff). If it was a member of my family i know which i would prefer if i had the choice. This is terrible news, feel so bad for the residents (if they survive the upset) and the staff (who will lose their jobs) that work so hard in these homes. My heart goes out to you all. julespent

11:07am Fri 25 Jan 13

jack daniels says...

buckoff wrote:
mavrick wrote: A couple of questions arise out of this, Why is it so much cheaper to transfer to a private home? Since when was care in the private sector better? What control will anybody have over care home charges when there is no alternative? It looks like the Tories have privatised the council out of existence.
What's it got to do with the Tories, this is Labour yet again could not run the local nursing homes more efficiently than private health care. Proving how unfit they are at running anything.
And to prove how so very wrong you are -

"Elderly moved from Darwen care home
5:00pm Wednesday 17th October 2012 in Darwen By Jessica Cree, Ribble Valley reporter

ELDERLY residents have been removed from a care home by Blackburn with Darwen Council because it had no hot water, or heating, for three weeks.

Families yesterday helped to transfer their loved ones from Highfield House, in Darwen, to alternative accommodation after the management was deemed ‘unable to resolve’ issues at the Sudell Road home.

Residents, aged between 74 and 101, also had their food budget slashed, and were not allowed desserts.

A review has now been launched by social services, and the Care Quality Commission, into the home, run by Dhillon Financial UK, a private company understood to be owned by Midlands-based 58-year-old former post office manager Surjit Dhillon.

The council issued a default notice after complaints over the treatment of the 10 council-placed residents, and one private resident"

This is not an isolated incident either as a larger private nursing home company went bust and made the national press. If it wasn't for the Tory imposed £30,000,000 cuts, this farce wouldn't be happening in Blackburn/Darwen.

Something for you to think about I hope....
[quote][p][bold]buckoff[/bold] wrote: [quote][p][bold]mavrick[/bold] wrote: A couple of questions arise out of this, Why is it so much cheaper to transfer to a private home? Since when was care in the private sector better? What control will anybody have over care home charges when there is no alternative? It looks like the Tories have privatised the council out of existence.[/p][/quote]What's it got to do with the Tories, this is Labour yet again could not run the local nursing homes more efficiently than private health care. Proving how unfit they are at running anything.[/p][/quote]And to prove how so very wrong you are - "Elderly moved from Darwen care home 5:00pm Wednesday 17th October 2012 in Darwen By Jessica Cree, Ribble Valley reporter ELDERLY residents have been removed from a care home by Blackburn with Darwen Council because it had no hot water, or heating, for three weeks. Families yesterday helped to transfer their loved ones from Highfield House, in Darwen, to alternative accommodation after the management was deemed ‘unable to resolve’ issues at the Sudell Road home. Residents, aged between 74 and 101, also had their food budget slashed, and were not allowed desserts. A review has now been launched by social services, and the Care Quality Commission, into the home, run by Dhillon Financial UK, a private company understood to be owned by Midlands-based 58-year-old former post office manager Surjit Dhillon. The council issued a default notice after complaints over the treatment of the 10 council-placed residents, and one private resident" This is not an isolated incident either as a larger private nursing home company went bust and made the national press. If it wasn't for the Tory imposed £30,000,000 cuts, this farce wouldn't be happening in Blackburn/Darwen. Something for you to think about I hope.... jack daniels

3:33pm Fri 25 Jan 13

jandi56 says...

mavrick wrote:
A couple of questions arise out of this, Why is it so much cheaper to transfer to a private home? Since when was care in the private sector better? What control will anybody have over care home charges when there is no alternative? It looks like the Tories have privatised the council out of existence.
Mavrick
This is obviously your opinion i have worked for the council for many years, the numbers in council homes are greater than in private homes, the staffing very stretched as normal practice, i now manage a private hom, fewer numbers more staffing, more personalised care
Dnt tar all private homes with the same brush
[quote][p][bold]mavrick[/bold] wrote: A couple of questions arise out of this, Why is it so much cheaper to transfer to a private home? Since when was care in the private sector better? What control will anybody have over care home charges when there is no alternative? It looks like the Tories have privatised the council out of existence.[/p][/quote]Mavrick This is obviously your opinion i have worked for the council for many years, the numbers in council homes are greater than in private homes, the staffing very stretched as normal practice, i now manage a private hom, fewer numbers more staffing, more personalised care Dnt tar all private homes with the same brush jandi56

3:33pm Fri 25 Jan 13

jandi56 says...

mavrick wrote:
A couple of questions arise out of this, Why is it so much cheaper to transfer to a private home? Since when was care in the private sector better? What control will anybody have over care home charges when there is no alternative? It looks like the Tories have privatised the council out of existence.
Mavrick
This is obviously your opinion i have worked for the council for many years, the numbers in council homes are greater than in private homes, the staffing very stretched as normal practice, i now manage a private hom, fewer numbers more staffing, more personalised care
Dnt tar all private homes with the same brush
[quote][p][bold]mavrick[/bold] wrote: A couple of questions arise out of this, Why is it so much cheaper to transfer to a private home? Since when was care in the private sector better? What control will anybody have over care home charges when there is no alternative? It looks like the Tories have privatised the council out of existence.[/p][/quote]Mavrick This is obviously your opinion i have worked for the council for many years, the numbers in council homes are greater than in private homes, the staffing very stretched as normal practice, i now manage a private hom, fewer numbers more staffing, more personalised care Dnt tar all private homes with the same brush jandi56

3:35pm Fri 25 Jan 13

jandi56 says...

julespent wrote:
From my experience Council Care Homes are far better than a lot of the privately run ones, ask yourself why will it save money? How is money saved? (Wages and numbers of staff). If it was a member of my family i know which i would prefer if i had the choice. This is terrible news, feel so bad for the residents (if they survive the upset) and the staff (who will lose their jobs) that work so hard in these homes. My heart goes out to you all.
not always run better am afraid i have worked for the council many years untill about 7 years ago and i now work in the private sector and i know were the better care & support is given !!!
[quote][p][bold]julespent[/bold] wrote: From my experience Council Care Homes are far better than a lot of the privately run ones, ask yourself why will it save money? How is money saved? (Wages and numbers of staff). If it was a member of my family i know which i would prefer if i had the choice. This is terrible news, feel so bad for the residents (if they survive the upset) and the staff (who will lose their jobs) that work so hard in these homes. My heart goes out to you all.[/p][/quote]not always run better am afraid i have worked for the council many years untill about 7 years ago and i now work in the private sector and i know were the better care & support is given !!! jandi56

1:34am Sun 27 Jan 13

english rose 1 says...

The quality of care homes is mixed. Some are excellent, some are average and some are poor.
*
The Council will save money as staff wages, terms and conditions etc are generally lower in the private sector. e.g. the council tends to pay above minimum wage for carers and gives holiday pay etc etc; Council staff should get TUPE'd over to the private providers.
*
Some providers, however, are 'not for profit' organisations so technically the care won't be 'privatised'. Again, however, their wage rates tend to be lower than Council rates.
*
Some of the Council homes are not too modern - so the new care homes should provide better facilities for residents. Councils simply don't have the money to build and run care homes any more - especially given the cutbacks imposed by central Govt.
The quality of care homes is mixed. Some are excellent, some are average and some are poor. * The Council will save money as staff wages, terms and conditions etc are generally lower in the private sector. e.g. the council tends to pay above minimum wage for carers and gives holiday pay etc etc; Council staff should get TUPE'd over to the private providers. * Some providers, however, are 'not for profit' organisations so technically the care won't be 'privatised'. Again, however, their wage rates tend to be lower than Council rates. * Some of the Council homes are not too modern - so the new care homes should provide better facilities for residents. Councils simply don't have the money to build and run care homes any more - especially given the cutbacks imposed by central Govt. english rose 1

7:27pm Tue 29 Jan 13

julespent says...

Would love to know which home you manage jandi56. I have been in all of the care homes in Blackburn and Darwen and hear all sorts of stories from people who have been in them. You get to know which are the good ones and which are the not so good ones. I just think they are closing the wrong ones. I do agree that not all the private run ones are bad but the signs are there, staff turnaround is the first clue.
Would love to know which home you manage jandi56. I have been in all of the care homes in Blackburn and Darwen and hear all sorts of stories from people who have been in them. You get to know which are the good ones and which are the not so good ones. I just think they are closing the wrong ones. I do agree that not all the private run ones are bad but the signs are there, staff turnaround is the first clue. julespent

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