Don't Make Care Home Residents Pay Cost Of Crisis

Petition launched to fight price hikes in wake of the pandemic

- John Ferguson

A petition demanding care homes don’t pass the cost of the pandemic on to residents has been launched in the face of rocketing fees.

Prices have soared by up to £250 a month for families forced to endure more than a year of lockdown and a catalogue of scandals.

It means some homes are charging up to £1650 a week – with extra Covid-19 costs being blamed for the hike.

Nei l Findlay MSP, who is spearheading the campaign and whose mum is in care, said: “This is one of the biggest scandals of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“All through this crisis, I and other opposition politicians raised the plight of care home residents and in particular the discharge of untested hospital patients into care homes, which in my view cost many lives.

“ Health Secretary Jeane Freeman and First Minister Nicola Sturgeon were in denial and attacked us for doing so.

“They blamed clinicians, care home owners, indeed anyone instead of taking responsibility for their policy mistakes.

“Now that Freeman is leaving office she finally comes clean and admits mistakes were made. This is the shameful arrogance of a Government that was prepared to see older people as collateral damage in their Covid strategy.

“And now, after all of that, how are our loved ones in care homes rewarded? By an inflation-busting increase in the charges they have to pay for their care.