Alzheimer’s Society comment on Annual Survey of UK Local Authority Baseline Fee Rates 2009/10

Baseline fee rates for the 200,000 council supported elderly people in independent sector care homes across the UK have received an average uplift of 2.6% for financial year 2009/10, according to Laing & Buisson's annual survey published in the June edition of Community Care Market News1. This is a slight fall compared to the 3% increase seen in last year's round of uplifts.

 Alzheimer's Society comment,

'Everyday over 250, 000 people with dementia in care homes need care and support. Good care homes show us that good care can make a huge difference to people's quality of life but sadly there is a huge variation in the quality of care being delivered. Often the difference between good care and poor care is the amount of money invested in resources, training, support and staff. 

'In these times of unprecedented fiscal stringency and low rises in baseline fee, councils and care homes must show extra vigilance when commissioning for quality care. The proposed green paper on Adult Funding of Social Care must also deliver a transparent, fair and sustainable system of who pays for care.'

Neil Hunt
Chief Executive
Alzheimer's Society