The Scottish Government

« Previous | Contents | Next »

Listen

Statistics Release: CARE HOMES, SCOTLAND MARCH 2004

Section One: Care Homes for Older People

Table 1 - Care Homes by Sector, Places and Residents, March 2004

Table 2 Care Homes, Places, Residents and Places per 1,000 population, 2001-2004

Source: Care Home Census Statistical Return March 2004

In March 2004 there were 36,697 places in 971 care homes for older people (including 20 homes specifically for those with dementia). Chart 1 shows the occupancy rate within care homes for the whole of Scotland and by local authority. Overall 32,861 places were occupied on census night (89.5 per cent). A further 786 places were unavailable (2.1 per cent). The overall occupancy rate was therefore 91.7 per cent.

Overall the occupancy rate in Scotland fell during the six months up until the census night (from 92.9 per cent in September 2003 to 91.7 per cent in March 2004). This is reflected in a decrease in occupied or unavailable places from 34,191 to 33,647 and an increase in the number of vacant places from 2,618 to 3,050. Vacant places account for 8.3 per cent of all places in Scotland.

24 local authorities showed a decrease in occupancy rates during the census period ( in

some cases only very slight). The largest decrease occurred in South Lanarkshire where occupancy levels fell 5.4 per cent to 85.5 per cent. This now makes South Lanarkshire the authority with the lowest occupancy in Scotland and it has the highest proportion of vacant places at 14.5 per cent (the actual number of vacant places increased from 235 to 380). Dumfries and Galloway (which previous to this census had the lowest occupancy) is now second with 86.7 per cent of all places occupied or unavailable.

At the other end of the scale, Inverclyde has the highest occupancy level in Scotland with 96.8 per cent of all places occupied or unavailable. Annex A provides a local authority breakdown of occupancy rates between March 2003 and March 2004 along with changes during the previous 6 months. A definition of unavailable places is also included.

The number of occupied places is slightly greater than the number of residents as some places on census night are empty but allocated to a specific individual (for example a new entrant or a resident temporarily in hospital).

Table 2 shows the number of care homes, places and residents in Scotland during the previous 3 years. The number of care homes for older people continues to decrease, the latest census showing a net fall of 9 homes. However, although the number of homes has fallen by 6.3 per cent (65 homes) during the previous three years, the fall in the number of places over the same period has been lower at 2.5 per cent (934 places). Therefore the average size of a closed care home has been much smaller than the size of those that have remained open.

For Scotland overall there were 44.8 registered places in care homes for older people for every 1,000 of the population aged 65 and over. This figure has been gradually decreasing from 46.6 places in March 2001.

The number of registered places in each local authority between March 2001 and 2004 is shown in annex B. The change in registered places by authority is also shown. During the six months up until census night, the number of registered places fell nationally by 112 or 0.3 per cent. However this varied greatly depending on the local authority. Registered places in Inverclyde dropped by 16.2 per cent from 554 to 464 by March 2004 whilst places in Moray increased by 6.4 per cent due the addition of 30 extra places.

Table 3: Care Homes by Sector 2001-2004

Source: Care Home Census Statistical Return March 2004

Table 3 shows care homes by sector during the previous 3 years. 65 per cent of care homes primarily for older people are run privately. 629 establishments are in this sector and collectively provide 72.6 per cent of all registered places. An average privately run care home contained 42 places compared to 30 and 28 respectively for its local authority and voluntary run counterparts. In the past three years the number of private care homes in Scotland has fallen by 51, along with a net fall of 11 voluntary and 3 local authority/NHS care homes.

Care Homes for Older People: Closures

Table 4: Care Home Closures by Sector

Source: Care Home Census Statistical Return March 2004

Table 4 shows the number of care homes for older people that have closed during the previous 3 years by sector. Overall 81 homes have closed during this period of which 55 were within the private sector, 15 were voluntary and 11 were run by a local authority. The average size of the 81 homes before closure was 23 places. The most recent census shows an average open home containing 38 places. This difference suggests that closures are continuing to occur disproportionately within smaller care establishments. Annex C provides a local authority breakdown of care home closures and openings.

Care Homes for Older People: New Homes

Table 5: New Care Homes by Sector

Source: Care Home Census Statistical Return March 2004

16 homes primarily for older people have opened during the 3 years up until March 2004. They collectively provide 423 newly registered places. 7 of the new homes have been opened by local authorities whilst a further 5 are in the private sector and 4 are voluntary.

Care Homes for Older People: Facilities

Table 6: Facilities in Care Homes - March 2004

Source: Care Home Census Statistical Return - March 2004

Table 6 shows the number of occupied/vacant places that are in single rooms, double rooms and rooms with 3 or more places. It also shows whether or not the places are in rooms with ensuite facilities. Overall 84 per cent (30,091) of occupied/vacant care home places for older people are in rooms with one place registered. 63 per cent (22,708) of places are in rooms with ensuite facilities.

The proportion of rooms with ensuite facilities varies greatly across both care home sector and local authority. 33 per cent (one third) of available places in the local authority run sector have ensuite facilities whilst 69 per cent have such facilities in the private and voluntary sectors.

Annex D shows the number of places in local authority run homes with ensuite facilities broken down by authority. All occupied/vacant local authority places in the Shetland Islands and East Renfrewshire have ensuite facilities and 88 per cent have them in South Lanarkshire. 13 local authorities have less than 10 per cent of their provided available places with ensuite facilities.

Annex E shows the number of places in the private and voluntary sector with ensuite facilities broken down by authority. 12 local authorities have over 3 quarters (75 per cent) of available private and voluntary places with ensuite facilities. This includes the Shetland Islands and Clackmannanshire (100 per cent), West Lothian and Eilean Siar (99 per cent).

Annex F shows the number of places in all sectors with ensuite facilities by authority. Shetland remains the only authority with all its available places containing en-suite facilities. The Orkney Islands and Argyll & Bute have the lowest proportion of places with ensuite facilities (40 per cent and 42 per cent respectively).

Table 7: Ensuite Facilities in Care Homes March 2003 - March 2004

Source: Care Home Census Statistical Return - March 2004

Table 7 shows the number and proportion of available places with ensuite facilities since March 2003 (the first date when this information was collected). As in the previous census, the March 2004 results have shown a small 1 per cent increase in the proportion of places with ensuite facilities from 62 to 63 per cent. This reflects an actual increase in the number of ensuite places by 409 in the six months covered by the latest census.

Admissions/Discharges in Care Homes for Older People

Table 8 shows the number of admissions, discharges and deaths within care homes for older people in the six months between September 2003 and March 2004. 32,838 residents were in care homes for older people on the March census night. 98 per cent of them (32,083) were long stay residents and 2 per cent (755) were in for respite care or other short stay.

There were 15,863 admissions into care homes of which 44 per cent (6,982) were long stay and 56 per cent (8,881) were short stay.

Table 8: Number of Admissions, Discharges and Deaths in Homes for Older People September 2003 - March 2004

Source: Care Home Census Statistical Return March 2004

35 per cent (5,625) of all admissions were to local authority run care homes during the census period. Of those admissions, 4,674 (83 per cent) were on a short stay basis. Local authority run homes collectively provide 16 per cent of all registered places. Despite this they account for over half of all short stay admissions to care homes for older people. In the six months until March 2004 53 per cent of all short stay admissions (4,674) were to care homes in the local authority sector. Conversely only 14 per cent of all long stay admissions were to local authority run homes (951).

8,667 admissions were to care homes in the private sector (55 per cent). In contrast to care homes in the local authority sector the majority of private admissions were for long stay residents. 62 per cent (5,405) of all admissions to private care homes were on a long stay basis (the client intended to stay for longer than six weeks).

10 per cent of all admissions were to care homes in the voluntary sector. Of the 1,571 admissions to voluntary care homes, 40 per cent (626) were long stay and 60 per cent (1,571) were short stay.

The number of adults admitted to a private care home on a short stay basis varies significantly between the March to September 2003 and September to March 2004 periods. The first half of the year saw 4,263 adults

admitted. This figure drops by 23 per cent to 3,262 private short stay admissions during the latter half of the year. This difference is not reflected in local authority run care homes. 4,674 adults were admitted during September to March 2004, only 3 per cent less than the 4,838 during the earlier six months.

10,897 adults were discharged from care homes in the six months leading up to the end of March. 2,116 (19 per cent) of those discharges were long stay residents. Those residents may have discharged for a number of reasons. They may for example have transferred to another care home, entered hospital or moved back to their own home.

There were 5,519 deaths in care homes for older people. The vast majority of those who died during the census period (98 per cent) were former long stay residents and 81 per cent (4,448) were long stay residents in private care homes.

The number of residents overall in care homes for older people during the census period fell by 1.7 per cent. 32,838 adults were in care homes on the 31 ^st March 2004, a decrease of 553 since the 30 ^th September 2003.

« Previous | Contents | Next »