Care home staff blame red tape for empty beds

Staff at a Shropshire care home have claimed beds available for the elderly are not being filled due to problems with red tape.

Simon Badland, owner of Oldfield Residential Care, said beds were being left empty despite waiting lists and some elderly people unnecessarily "blocked" beds in hospitals.

He blamed the problems on the red tape, which he claimed his staff regularly had to face when dealing with social services bodies and primary care trusts.

"It's the system itself and all the paperwork that's at fault," he said. "We have beds available to take elderly people in need of care out of hospital - the so called "bed-blockers" - to live in peace in a caring environment.

"But for some reason the system keeps coming to a standstill, and we have empty beds waiting to be filled.

"We reserve these beds for people who are totally funded by social services, and are made available at the rates social services sets, so it isn't a question of fees and costs. I hope the new government really does address this growing problem soon."

He said he and his staff prided themselves on running a happy home but they found themselves constantly battling with administration procedures.

Mr Badland said recent research by the Relatives & Residents' Association showed some 40,000 people in care lived in isolation and hardly ever had visitors.

He said it was a shame people were being left in hospital when there were spaces available for them in homes.

Mr Badland explained the problems to Ludlow MP Philip Dunne on a visit to White Lodge Residential Home in Alveley, near Bridgnorth, on Friday.

Mr Dunne said: "I was surprised to learn of the number and frequency with which residential beds are left empty given the overall shortage of care home beds in the Ludlow constituency. I'm following this up with Shropshire Council and the PCT."

Shropshire Council and the PCT were unavailable for comment as the Shropshire Star went to press.

By Peter Kitchen