Exposing cowboy care providers: the state of social care

Research published today by the Centre for Health and Public Interest shows what UNISON members have been saying for decades: residential care homes are being run irresponsibly. The financial structure of our overstretched and underfunded care sector has been revealed, with an estimated 10% of income suspiciously “leaking out” each year. UNISON assistant general secretary Christina McAnea said: “Every year millions of pounds are lost from the sector, which could have been spent on care. “There are rich pickings for the shadowy businesses operating UK care homes from tropical tax havens, siphoning off their haul while residents go short. “Fixing the broken care system must be the number one priority for the next government. “But with so much cash being sucked from the sector, simply flinging more resources at it is not the answer. Nothing short of a fundamental review of how care is structured, financed and provided will suffice.” The care home industry and the wider social care sector is desperately short of cash, but extra funding must not be wasted on extra profit for directors and investors. Significant government investment, as well as regulation, is needed to ensure the money goes where it should. Across the 26 largest care home providers in the UK, a total of £261 million of the money they receive to provide care goes towards repaying debt. Out of this £117 million are payments to related companies – a known way of dodging tax and hiding profits. The m...
Source: UNISON meat hygiene - Category: Food Science Authors: Tags: Article Source Type: news