News story

13th September 2001

MP To Take Action Over Threat To Care Homes

Northavon MP Steve Webb is to seek an early House of Commons debate when MPs return to Westminster next month on the threat to local care homes caring for adults with learning disabilities. The MP is to take action after a visit today to Manor House at Frenchay where he met proprietor Marilyn Clarke and talked to parents of residents. Care home owners and residents are seriously concerned that new Government regulations currently under discussion could force them to close. The proposed regulations would set stringent requirements for buildings and staffing levels and could result in many homes having to reduce the number of people they care for. This will reduce fee income to the homes and, together with the costs of building alterations and staffing changes could put many out of business. Residents might then find themselves with no suitable alternative care provision.

Steve Webb said:

“Regulations such as these are often drafted with the best of intentions, but if they force existing high quality care homes to close, they will do no-one any good, least of all the residents. Everyone is in favour of improved standards for people in residential care but new regulations must be brought in gradually to give homes time to adjust. They must also be relevant and appropriate to the needs of residents, and not imposed for the sake of standardisation. It is clear to me that homes such as the Manor House are doing a tremendous job and it is vital that they get supported rather than undermined by Government regulations”.

The MP said that he had received dozens of letters from parents of residents who were concerned that the future of local care homes might be under threat. He would now be seeking to join forces with other MPs in order to get the Government to think again about the proposed regulations.


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