News Supply of care home beds failing to keep


up with demand – Knight Frank number of care home closures across the UK fell only very moderately in the 12 months to April 2021 versus the preceding financial year. Knight Frank expects to see


The supply of care home beds rose by just 0.1 per cent in the past year to 480,072 across 12,034 care homes developers pausing operations to deal with the impacts of the pandemic, according to a report by global property adviser Knight Frank. The stalled growth in supply adds to


concerns that the sector is heading for “care bed crisis” in the coming decade, the company said. Knight Frank’s UK Healthcare


Development Opportunities 2021 research found UK care home supply has grown by six per cent in the last decade, while the UK’s over-65 population has increased by 22 per cent over the same period. The limited growth in new stock, far outstripped by the growth in the over-65 population, is coupled with concerns around the quality of existing units, said Knight Frank. “Older care homes are often converted


from other use and many fail to provide adequate facilities for elderly residents. 29 per cent of existing beds lack ensuite facilities, an essential component of care provision, and 21 per cent of UK homes are currently rated by the CQC as Requires Improvement or Inadequate,” it added. Furthermore, despite the partial


abatement of the pandemic in 2021, the


an uptick in closures as the government concludes its year-


long financial support package, which will result in a further shortage of beds. An increase in vaccination rates among


existing residents has seen a rebound in occupancy in the second quarter of this year, following a decline from 89 per cent to 79 per cent in the 12 months to April 2021. This year has also seen the resumption of


much of the construction activity which was paused or delayed as the pandemic took hold in 2020, leading to a healthy pipeline of new beds. 2021 has seen a return to near-pre-


pandemic activity levels, with 35 new care homes (2,430 beds) delivered or due to be delivered by end of Q2, compared to 4,610 beds delivered in the whole of 2020. There are over 7,000 beds currently under construction and a further 10,000 in the planning or tender stage. “While the past year has seen a modest


increase in the total number of beds, this rate of growth remains insufficient and we risk an imminent care bed crisis,” said Knight Frank head of healthcare Julian Evans (pictured).


Orchard Care Homes holds Teams webinars to allay staff Covid jab fears


Orchard Care Homes is providing independent medical information to staff about Covid vaccinations via a series of Teams webinars to boost uptake. The provider, which operates 24 care


homes in northern England and the Midlands, had 79 per cent of staff who have had their first jab, with 75 per cent having a second dose as of late September. While some of the remaining staff will be


covered by a medical exemption, Orchard has called in Dr. Stephen Griffin, associate professor at University of Leeds School of Medicine, to speak about the Covid-19, its impact and the development and effects of the vaccination programme. “We’re delighted to be able to provide


these sessions with Dr Griffin for our colleagues. They have been hugely


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informative and relatable, providing factual information and dispelling many of the myths and inaccuracies that have been circulated, particularly on social media, in regard to the vaccinations,” said Orchard’s director of people and talent Rebecca Dobson. During the sessions, Dr. Griffin addressed


many questions, with the most common being “is the vaccine safe as it was produced so quickly?” Dr. Griffin explained that the vaccine


already uses established technology so that legislation and administration was significantly reduced and red tape was removed, allowing them to be prioritised and approved in rapid time. He added that the trials were designed to make faster testing and development possible and it was not limited to the number of patients, which is normally a constraint.


Demand for dementia care home beds to outstrip supply by 2030


Around 50,000 people with dementia in England will be denied care home beds by 2030 due to demand outstripping supply, according to research by the Alzheimer’s Society. The charity’s Stabilise, Energise,


Realise report highlights estimates from the consultancy Grant Thornton that the number of beds in care homes is projected to reach 450,000 by 2030, leaving a shortfall of 50,000 people with dementia without the care they need. The Alzheimer’s Society research


estimates that the number of people with dementia who need a care home bed will increase from 350,000 to 503,000 by the end of the decade.


“It’s shocking


that even if every care home bed in the country was reserved for someone with dementia, we would still be tens of thousands short


within a decade,” said chief executive Kate Lee (pictured). “Every person with dementia should


be entitled to quality care in the place they call home,” she added. Stabilise, Energise, Realise identifies


seven key areas of recommendations including: free personalised care through general taxation paid for by the state rather than individuals; ensuring care costs are capped; a ten-year social care people plan focused on retaining, attracting, training, putting on an equal footing with the NHS workforce; and representation of social care commissioners in the NHS, ensuring parity of social care with the NHS. “Our recommendations for social care


reform today should be met with open arms by the government,” said Lee. “Politicians have the opportunity


to step forward and make a properly reformed social care system the legacy of the pandemic. Never again must we leave our most vulnerable so unsupported.”


www.thecarehomeenvironment.com • October 2021


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