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Matt Seex Editor mattseex@stepcomms.com


CARE HOME


ENVIRONMENT Editor Matt Seex


mattseex@stepcomms.com Business Manager


Mike Gammon


mikegammon@stepcomms.com Journal Administration


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Steven Dillon Publisher


Geoff King


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Trevor Moon trevormoon@stepcomms.com


THE CARE HOME ENVIRONMENT is published monthly by Step Communications Ltd, Step House, North Farm Road,


Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN2 3DR, UK. Tel: +44 (0)1892 779999


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Dementia – misconceptions abound


Care England objects to foreign worker fee hike


Welcome to the February issue of The Care Home Environment.


May issue of The Care


Care England has raised serious hom provider Care UK has laid bare many of th misconceptions and fears that people have about d mentia.


New research commissioned by care concerns over the Home Office’s proposed fee increase for the Certificates of Sponsorship (CoS) required in order for providers to hire workers from overseas,


questioned by OnePoll are afraid of developing dementia when they get older. More surprising is the revelation that 11 per cent started worrying about the condition in their 20s. Misconceptions about dementia


Almost wo thirds of the 2,000 people warning the increase will exacerbate the intense financial pressures already crippling the sector.


The proposal would more than double the current CoS fee from £239 to £525 per worker, imposing an additional £286 cost per international recruit. This equates to that Alzheimer’s disease and dementia are different n mes for the same thing, while 17 per cent believe that if a member of their family develops dementia, this means that th y will, too. While fourteen per ce t questioned think t at pe pl


abound – a fifth of adults wrongly b lieve an estimated £10.3 m sector-wide cost for care providers at a time when mounting operational expenses and funding deficits are continuing to bite – compounded by the Employer National Insurance Contribution increases announced in the Autumn Budget, which come i lnto effect this April.


f those iving with


dement a cannot lead a meaningful life, ov The proposed increase follows know little about the condition. Even though there are (according to Alzheimer’s Society) an estimated 900,000 people in the UK living with dementia (a number expected to rise to


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er a third admitted that they actually the retention by he government of restrictions introduced in changes made to immigration criteria last April, including the ban on dependents for overseas social care work rs, which caused a sharp drop from 105,000 international recruits in 2023/24 to 18,000 in the


first half of 2024, according to Skills for found that 72 per cent of adults have made no effort to learn about he condition. In response, Care UK has aunched a new video guide which ams to d bunk the myths surrounding entia and provide support to families whose loved ones have been diagnosed th the condition.


1.6 million by 040), Care UK’s research Care. Says Care England: ‘Despite policy decisions seemingly designed to make international recruitment as unappealing l as possible, providers are left with no viable alternative in the absence of a de comprehensive workforce strategy to support the domestic care workforce’. wi Discussing the mooted CoS fee increase, Care England chief executive Professor care and dementia services at Care UK, said: “Ther are plenty of misconceptions when it comes to dementia, a


Suzanne Mumford, head of nursing, Martin Green OBE said: “These proposed fee increases represent yet another blow to social care providers, compounding what is already a devastating situation for the their family.


what this


means for th person liv ng with it and sector. The 2025/26 financial year is set to be “ tIhe hardest yet, with providers facing can be managed to ensure those who live with it ca continue to lead fulfilling, eaningful live and can be supported o still do the things they love. That’s why we’ve launched our latest video guide, One tep at a time. Featuring tips from our ex“International recruitment has been families, it is designed to help people navigate through the dementia journey, from dealing with the initial diagnosis to earning how to live well with dementia.” While the results of Care UK’s research might be troubling, they are perhaps not all that surprising. The spectre of dementia – along with the prospect of old age itself – is s me h g most of us push to the back of our minds. It is a scary thing to think about, a d most of us would prefer not to do so. Y t it is only a matter of time before dementia affects somebody we love, or inde d us p rsonally. Perhaps, then, we all need to b a little braver and find out more about a condition that is almost certai into o r lives one day. hope yo


perts, but also testimonies of residents’ a life ne for th sector, proving to be the saving grace as providers endure an unprecedented domestic workforce crisis l with no meaningful government support to address it. Targeting international recruitment with these fee increases is an attack at the very heart of the sector’s ability to function. Care providers are a ready fighting to sustain services, and these additional costs will push many to breaking point. The government must reconsider its position immediately. Without urgent action, this relentless financial strain will jeopardise care delivery for the millions of people who depend on it. The time for meaningful workforce reform and investment t is long overdue.”


o c me I I hope you enjoy the issue. Follow us on twitter @tchemagazine May 2023 www.thecarehomeenviro ment.com February 2025 www.thecarehomeenvironment.com Follow us @tchemagazine Follow our page on Linkedin 5


n re lity, dementia is a condition that an attack on all fronts. The Autumn Budget dealt an incredibly harsh blow, leaving many providers scrambling to plan how they will survive the coming year. This latest announcement only exacerbates the crisis.


THE


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