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Wales hurtling towards 10,000 care home bed deficit over next decade

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EXPERTS have warned there will be desperate shortage of 10,000 care home beds in Wales over the next decade.

The alert has been raised specialist business property adviser Christie & Co who say there is a growing need for new, “future proof” care homes to meet the need.

Their prediction comes at a time when demand is spiralling upwards, with the over 85 population set to double over the next 20 years.

According to sector champions Care Forum Wales (CFW) the “alarming figures” illustrated the need for social care to be funded properly for existing homes to survive and encourage the development of new ones.

CFW warned that Wales was “sleepwalking into disaster” because the growing shortage of care home beds would pile pressure on the beleaguered NHS when hospitals were already virtually at breaking point.

Building new care homes is a costly business as Gwynedd and Flintshire county councils have shown recently.

They have plans to build two new facilities with a total of around 100 beds between them at an estimated cost of more than £250,000 per bed.

If their figures are correct that would mean it would mean it would cost £400 million for the extra beds needed in North Wales and £2.5 billion for the whole of Wales over the next 10 years.

Worryingly, Christie & Co also revealed in the report  that 40 elderly care homes in Wales closed and only four opened between 2020 and 2023 – with no new ones in North Wales.

Among the closures in North Wales were Trewythen Hall in Gresford, Bay Court in Kinmel Bay, Gwastad Hall in Cefn y Bedd and Morfa Newydd in Greenfield with the loss of more than 160 beds.

CFW Chair Mario Kreft MBE said: “The report from Christie & Co paints a bleak picture an illustrates how the existing crisis is going to get even worse, creating a double whammy for our overstretched hospitals which have rows of ambulances queuing outside and patients on trolleys in corridors.

“Instead of being able to build more care homes to meet growing demand, we are seeing more and more care home closures.

“The cost of building new care homes and replacing the beds we are losing now is absolutely eye-watering.

“Our public finances in Wales are already under pressure so where is this money coming from?

“The way care homes are funded in Wales is a total postcode lottery with 29 variations on a theme, with most of social care being commissioned by the 22 local authorities and seven health boards.

“Within that there is a gaping North-South divide with five of the six county councils in North Wales paying the lowest fees, arrived at by a fee-fixing cartel known as the North Wales Regional Fees Group.

“The one shining exception is Conwy Council where earlier this year announced inflation-busting plans to increase fees by up to 20% after warnings that care homes were at risk of financial meltdown and closure.

“Following a long-running campaign by Care Forum Wales they have introduced fairer fees which reflect the actual cost of providing care for vulnerable people in privately run homes, including those with dementia.

“That came about because Conwy broke away from the North Wales Regional Fees Group and took our advice by  commissioning leading healthcare economists Laing & Buisson to analyse the true costs of care providers for the current year.

“It’s and internationally recognised tool to ensure that and those living and working in care homes can receive the best care, while at the same time, ensuring that the

“This is something we have been calling for over many years. All we want is fairness in line with the Welsh Government’s ‘Let’s agree to agree’ guidance.

“The fundamental issue threatening the viability of care homes is the unrealistically low fees that the vast majority of councils and health boards pay, fees that come nowhere near covering the true cost of providing care.

“Economically, it would make a lot more sense to ensure the financial security of our existing care homes instead of just relying on the forlorn hope that somebody is going to magically build enough new ones to  meet current needs and the increasing demands for social care.

“We’ve had a generation of injustice and it’s a generation where the institutional prejudice and discrimination against the private care sector in Wales has meant that those living and working in these fantastic community assets have not been valued.

“The problems we have in social care lead to the pressures in the NHS which lead of course then to extra costs being placed on the NHS which would largely be alleviated if local authorities had a more enlightened approach to social care.

“If Conwy can do it, the other five local authorities in North Wales can and should do it and of course, the money has always been there. It’s how you politically choose to spend it.

“Across the famous Foryd Bridge, which links Kinmel Bay and Rhyl, Denbighshire County Council is budgeting announced  much smaller increases of around 8% on rock bottom fees which have been immediately wiped out by inflation and the cost of living crisis.

“The vastly differing rates mean that Denbighshire will be paying £9,224 a year less per person than Conwy towards the cost of giving exactly the same level of nursing care to residents.

“It is simply an outrage. It’s an affront to the families that that bridge spanning the mouth of the River Clwyd can mean such a massive difference for vulnerable people, including those with dementia.

“The families of those people, who will often be expected to make up the difference,  need to ask why and quite frankly, it is a bridge too far.

“This is undoubtedly a stealth tax on families and quite frankly, the people making these decisions in those authorities should be utterly ashamed of themselves in the way they are betraying vulnerable people including those with profound dementia and their families.

“What this demonstrates is that there is an urgent need for us to look again at the way social care is funded.

“We need a national approach to eliminate this iniquitous postcode lottery so that the people for whom we provide care and our staff are treated fairly.

”This is too important to be left to local authorities and health boards alone – it has to be driven by the Welsh Government.”

Pictured: Mario Kreft MBE, Chair of Care Forum Wales

Community

Help shape flood prevention plans in Pembrokeshire

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PEMBROKESHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL is seeking public feedback on how it manages flood risk across the County.

The Flood and Water Management Act 2010 requires Local Authorities to publish their local flood risk management strategy and flood risk management plans and request feedback from local residents.

A public consultation will help identify local knowledge about flood-prone areas, historical flooding events, and community-specific vulnerabilities.

Local residents and stakeholders can often possess unique insights about their areas that can contribute to the development of an effective flood strategy.

The consultation will allow the public to understand the rationale behind proposed measures, the potential impacts, and the overall strategy.

It will also provide information regarding flood protection measures, early warning systems, emergency response plans, and evacuation procedures.

By increasing public awareness, communities become better prepared and more resilient to floods.

More details of the consultation is available online.

You can give your views by completing the online response form.

If you would like a paper copy please call our Customer Contact Centre on 01437 764551 or email [email protected]

Please complete the survey by Monday 17th March.

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Community

Harry to represent Wales in the Riso Gallo Young Risotto Chef Grand Final

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A YOUNG Welsh chef has taken the first step towards winning a three day stage with Fabio Pisani, Alessandro Negrini and their team at the two Michelin starred Il Luogo in Milan.

Harry Howell, a first year Level 1 professional cookery student at Coleg Sir Gâr, Carmarthen, won the Welsh national heat of the Riso Gallo UK and Ireland Young Risotto Chef of the Year Competition.

The heat took place at the Welsh International Culinary Championships (WICC) held at the International Convention Centre Wales (ICC Wales), Newport.

Harry, who works at Ashburnham Hotel, Pembrey, cooked a wild mushroom risotto with crisp parmesan and truffle.

One of three gold medallists in the Wales heat, Harry will now go through to the UK and Ireland grand final at Tottenham Hotspur ‘H’ Club in London on June 2.

In addition to the three day stage, the overall winner will tour the Riso Gallo Rice Mill in Italy and experience a selection of excellent rice and oils from Riso Gallo and Filippo Berio and stocks and glacés from Essential Cuisine.

Second prize is a three day stage at The Italian Embassy in London with a selection of excellent rice and oils from Riso Gallo and Filippo Berio and stocks and glacés from Essential Cuisine.

The judging panel is chaired by renowned consultant chef Paul Gayler, MBE. Competitors must be aged between 17 and 23 and in full time education.

Coleg Sir Gâr lecturer Daniel Williams said: “Harry is a very keen, dedicated and driven young chef who was very calm and collected in his first competition. The sky’s the limit for him if he continues on this path and he’s happy to travel to gain experience.

“The Riso Gallo competition was an amazing opportunity for him to receive feedback from chefs from the Culinary Association of Wales. The Welsh International Culinary Championships opens the eyes of young chefs that the horizon is huge.”

The Welsh national heat was held over three days at the WICC and the high standard of dishes was praised by Domenico Maggi, from the Federation of Italian Cooks and a former Worldchefs continental director of South Europe.

He told Harry and two other gold medallists that their risotto had been cooked perfectly with flavour and balance. He encouraged all the Welsh young chefs to continue to cook with passion.

Arwyn Watkins, OBE, CAW president, said: “We are delighted that we have once again found an amazing young chef who has the potential to do Wales proud in the UK final later this year.

“I look forward to attending the final and, hopefully, Wales will for the first time bring home the title following on from winning the runner up spot in 2024.”

Wales representative Oliver Lacey from Lledrod, Ceredigion was runner up last year.

Picture caption:

Harry Howell receives his award from Colin Gray and Arwyn Watkins, OBE from the Culinary Association of Wales and Domenico Maggi.

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Community

Milford Haven family appeals for help as eight-year-old battles cancer

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A MILFORD HAVEN family is seeking community support after receiving devastating news that their eight-year-old daughter, Darcie, has been diagnosed with cancer. A GoFundMe campaign has been launched by family friend Stacey Roberts to help parents Andrew and Laura Duncan cover travel expenses for Darcie’s treatment in Cardiff, ensuring they can stay by her side while managing responsibilities at home.

The fundraiser, which has already raised over £2,300 from 70 donations, aims to alleviate the financial burden of frequent hospital visits. One of the largest contributions so far, £1,000, came from Lincolnshire Competitions, while Stacey Roberts herself made the first donation of £20.

In her heartfelt appeal, Stacey said: “I am absolutely gutted to be writing this but it is with great sadness that I am about to inform you all that two very close friends to me have been given the heart-wrenching news that their eight-year-old daughter, the beautiful little Darcie, has been unfortunately diagnosed with cancer. Please guys, let’s raise enough money to help this loving family out.”

The GoFundMe page continues to accept donations, with community members rallying around the Duncan family during this difficult time.

To donate and support the family, visit: https://www.gofundme.com/f/please-help-raise-funds-to-help-this-family-with-travel-cost

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