Taking care (From Durham Times)

Taking care

1:08pm Friday 18th December 2009

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THERE are few more emotive issues than closing old people’s homes, so the furore surrounding consideration of a plan to close seven homes in County Durham is predictable, if heartfelt.

Nobody wants to see elderly and vulnerable old people disturbed so late in life, but the county council has to act in the face of impending public spending cuts which threaten a whole range of services. Care of the elderly cannot be immune.

The truth is that local authority care for the elderly is inefficient and not always of the highest quality. Durham County Council faces a massive bill to bring its existing homes up to the standard required to maintain their status as registered homes.

The private sector offers better, more modern facilities, and, in many instances, higher standards of care. A number of the county’s home are almost half empty. There is ample capacity in the private sector and, where there isn’t, the county has committed to retaining its service.

Those who seek to make political capital out of an admittedly emotive issue do the people of the county a disservice.

This issue is not about callous indifference to the needs of the vulnerable; it is about effective management of our money.

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