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Statistics Release
Residential Care Homes, Scotland 2002

A SCOTTISH EXECUTIVE NATIONAL STATISTICS PUBLICATION

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Introduction

The purpose of this Statistics Release is to present national figures for residential care homes for adults in Scotland. All figures relate to the 31 ^st March 2002 and are provisional and, as such, subject to change. The final figures will be published in Scottish Community Care Statistics 2002. Refer to Annex 2 for comparisons with previous years' figures.

The information is derived from returns made to the Scottish Executive by individual residential care homes directly or via Scottish local authorities. Refer to the background information outlined later in this information note for further details relating to the census of residential care establishments.

Main Points

• As at 31 March 2002, there were 1,573 residential care homes registered in Scotland, offering a total of 22,336 places.

• Around 43 per cent of all places were in voluntary establishments; compared with 30 per cent in local authority and 26 per cent in private establishments.

• 14,851 places in homes, intended for older people, accounted for 66 per cent of all residential care homes places in Scotland.

• 79 per cent of residential care homes for client groups other than older people were run by the voluntary sector.

• 49 per cent of admissions to privately run homes were long stay residents compared with only 11 percent of admissions to local authority.

• In 2002, the average completed length of stay for long stay residents in homes intended for older people was 2 years and 9 months.

CHART 1: Number of places in residential care homes in Scotland by intended client group and sector, 2002

TABLE 1: Residential Care Homes by Client Group and Sector, 2002

Source: Residential Establishment Census Return R1
1 Includes holiday/respite care places/residents

Profile of Residential Care Homes

Table 1 shows the number of residential care homes, residents and places, in Scotland.

42 per cent of homes for older people were privately run compared to 33 per cent run by local authorities. However local authority run homes provided 39 per cent of all places compared with 34 per cent provided by private homes.

For all other client groups (i.e. excluding older people) 79 per cent of homes were run by the voluntary sector.

Chart 2 demonstrates the trend towards a higher percentage of residents receiving care in independent sector homes.

The voluntary sector houses the largest amount of residents. In 1995 40 per cent of residents were in voluntary homes, this figure has gradually risen to 44 per cent in 2002. Similarly private homes have increased their proportion of residents over the same period (21 per cent to 26 per cent).

Chart 2: Number of Residents by Sector, 1995 to 2002

Admissions into Residential Care

Table 2 and chart 3 illustrate the number of admissions into residential care homes during the year. These are shown split by intended client group of home and type of stay. The 'other client groups' category includes homes for people with alcohol/drug problems and people with HIV and AIDS.

CHART 3: Long and Short Stay Admissions during the year ending 31 March 2002 by client group

TABLE 2: Number of Admissions During the Year by Client Group and Sector, 2002

Source: Residential Establishment Census Return R1

During the period there were an estimated 40,087 admissions into residential care homes in Scotland, just under 84 per cent of these were short-stay residents (see background notes for definition of short-stay\respite). Admissions to local authority run homes accounted for 47 per cent of all admissions. Voluntary homes accounted for the second largest share of admissions (45 per cent) whilst privately run homes accounted for only 8 per cent This is due to the large number of short-stay admissions to both local authority and voluntary homes. (See Table 2).

From a total of 16,472 admissions into homes for older people, around 72 per cent were short stay admissions and the majority of these were in local authority run homes.

Nearly 98 per cent of admissions into homes for people with learning disabilities were short stay residents and these were largely in voluntary and local authority run homes.

The number of short-stay admissions does not equate to the number of short-stay residents. If an individual receives more than one period of respite during the year they are counted each time they are admitted.

Profile of Residents in Residential Care

Tables 3 and 4 show the age profiles of long-stay clients in residential care homes for older people and in homes for other client groups by sector.

Around 10 per cent of clients in homes for older people were aged between 65 and 74 years, with more than half of all clients aged 85 or over. (See Table 3)

TABLE 3: Age Profile of Long-Stay Residents in Homes for Older People by Sector, 2002

Row Percentages

Source: Residential Establishment Census Return R1

The private and voluntary sectors had the highest proportions of clients aged 85 or over in the older people client group with 58 and 61 per cent respectively. This compares with 49 percent for the local authority run homes. (See Table 3)

TABLE 4: Age Profile of Long-Stay Residents in Homes not intended for Older People by Sector, 2002

Row Percentages

Source: Residential Establishment Census Return R1
"-" denotes less than 0.5%

Around 72 percent of clients in homes, not intended for older people, were aged between 31 and 64 years. Only 13 per cent of clients in these types of homes were aged 65 years and over. This age profile has remained constant over a long period. (See Table 4)

Around 21 percent of residents in privately run homes, not intended for older people, were aged 65 years or over. This corresponds with 9 and 13 percent in the local authority and voluntary sectors, respectively. (See Table 4)

TABLE 5: Destination of Long-Stay Residents Discharged During the Year by Client Group, 2002

Row Percentages

Source: Residential Establishment Census Return R1
"-" denotes less than 0.5%

Profile of Discharged Residents

Tables 5 and 6 show the profile of long-stay residents discharged from residential care homes in Scotland during the year. These are presented in terms of their destination on discharge and length of stay by intended client group of home.

During the year, around 33 percent of all residents who were discharged from residential care homes were transferred to another home or entered hospital. This proportion varied markedly between client groups. (See Table 5)

29 percent of all residents discharged during the year had a length of stay of less than 6 months. Around 31 percent of residents discharged from homes for older people stayed for 3 years or more. (See Table 6)

Residential care homes for people with learning disabilities and physically disabled people had 58 per cent and 33 per cent, respectively, of discharged residents staying for 5 years and over. (See Table 6)

Residents in homes for people with learning disabilities had the longest average stay of 7 years and 5 months, followed by those in homes for physically disabled people with an average stay of 5 years and 2 months. (See Table 6)

TABLE 6: Length of Stay of Long-Stay Residents Discharged During the Year by Client Group, 2002

Row Percentages

Source: Residential Establishment Census Return R1

Background Information on the Census of Residential Care Establishments

The census is intended to cover all adult residential care establishments in Scotland, which are registered with or run by local authorities.

The distinction between "Residential Care Homes" and "Nursing Homes" was removed on 1 April 2002, the day on which the new Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care (Care Commission) became operational. The Care Commission is responsible for regulating a wide range of care services, and was established under the Regulation of Care (Scotland) Act 2001.

From 2003 it is planned to conduct a regular "Care Homes" Census which will replace the current census' of Residential Care Homes (run by the Scottish Executive) and the Nursing Homes census (run by ISD, Scotland).

The number of establishments covered by the 2002 census is estimated to be around 1,602, of which around 1,573 remained open on the census day (31 ^st March). These establishments were asked to provide detailed information on their residential care provision covering the period 1 April 2001 to 31 March 2002. Responses were obtained from around 1,408 establishments, giving an estimated response rate of approximately 88 per cent. However, this response rate did vary from area to area.

The figures presented in this statistics release have been grossed up to take account of non-response. The methodology adopted was based on using returns of establishments of similar type, sector and local authority area to estimate figures for those establishments which did not submit a return.

The methodology for dealing with non-response since 1998 is different to that previously adopted, therefore care should be taken when making comparisons with pre-1998 data.

Short-stay/ respite residents are normally defined as residents who intend to stay up to 4 weeks, although some homes use their own definitions when completing these forms

Some of the column and row totals in these tables may not exactly equal the sum of their component parts due to the effects of rounding.

Further Information

Further details and analysis of the data presented in this Statistics Release are available on request from the address following. The Statistics Release is also available on the Internet by accessing the Scottish Executive web site ( www.scotland.gov.uk).

Information at disaggregate local authority level showing number of homes, places and residents by sector is shown in Annex 1 to this Statistics Release.

Annex 2 shows the number of homes, places and residents for each client group for the years 1995-2002.

Community Care Statistics
2N.08
St Andrew's House
Regent Road
Edinburgh
EH1 3DG
Contact: Steven Gillespie
Tel: 0131 244 3777
Fax: 0131 244 5427
E-mail: SWStat@scotland.gov.uk

This statistics release was published on 18 ^th December 2002.

ANNEX 1: Residential Care Homes by Local Authority Area - number of homes, places and residents by sector as at 31 March 2002

Source: Residential Establishment Census Return R1

Annex 2: Residential Care Homes by Client Group, 1995 - 2002

Source: Residential Establishment Census Return R1
1 Includes holiday/respite care places/residents