Reminder on care home procedures
Relatives of older people that may require residential care are being reminded of the proper procedures to gain information, following an inaccurate article printed in the South Wales Evening Post (Monday, March 21, 2011).
The article printed the contact number of a councillor and a member of the public, encouraging people to call them if they wanted to move in to St Paul’s residential home in Llanelli.
The proper procedure for anyone who wants access to a local authority care home, and who needs funding for that care, is for them to contact the council’s community care teams who will arrange for the person to receive an assessment.
Head of primary, community and social care, Sheila Porter, said: “In most circumstances, we will already have had extensive contact with service users and their families by offering them other forms of support and care services, but those who have had no previous contact with our social care department, and who want further information about residential care, should be contacting our referral centre on 01267 224421.”
The article also stated that there is a waiting list for both respite and residential care in Carmarthenshire. Furthermore, it states that there is a waiting list for beds at St Paul’s, and that there is acute bed blocking at Prince Philip Hospital.
None of these claims are accurate.
Respite care placements are currently available, including placements at St Paul's.
Currently, at any one time, there are at least 100 vacant residential care beds across the local authority and independent sector.
With regard ‘bed blocking’, there is a small number of patients awaiting assessment for specialist care, such as dementia, across the county, where there is the highest demand for care placements. There is no-one currently 'bed blocking' whilst waiting for residential care placements in Carmarthenshire.
The article printed the contact number of a councillor and a member of the public, encouraging people to call them if they wanted to move in to St Paul’s residential home in Llanelli.
The proper procedure for anyone who wants access to a local authority care home, and who needs funding for that care, is for them to contact the council’s community care teams who will arrange for the person to receive an assessment.
Head of primary, community and social care, Sheila Porter, said: “In most circumstances, we will already have had extensive contact with service users and their families by offering them other forms of support and care services, but those who have had no previous contact with our social care department, and who want further information about residential care, should be contacting our referral centre on 01267 224421.”
The article also stated that there is a waiting list for both respite and residential care in Carmarthenshire. Furthermore, it states that there is a waiting list for beds at St Paul’s, and that there is acute bed blocking at Prince Philip Hospital.
None of these claims are accurate.
Respite care placements are currently available, including placements at St Paul's.
Currently, at any one time, there are at least 100 vacant residential care beds across the local authority and independent sector.
With regard ‘bed blocking’, there is a small number of patients awaiting assessment for specialist care, such as dementia, across the county, where there is the highest demand for care placements. There is no-one currently 'bed blocking' whilst waiting for residential care placements in Carmarthenshire.
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