VACANCY MONITORING REPORT

INTRODUCTION AND SUMMARY OF MAIN POINTS

1. This is the thirteenth in a series of reports providing information on occupancy rates, admissions and vacancies in residential care homes for older people and nursing homes in Scotland. It contains information submitted by residential care homes to the Scottish Executive and by nursing homes to the Information & Statistics Division of the NHS in Scotland.
2. The latest collection covers the year between 1^st April 1998 and 31^st March 1999. The September 1996 data was the first to be collected since local government reorganisation; where possible, data is also provided in new authority format for the previous year (31^st March 1996) to aid comparison. Due to a change in name, the authority formerly known as Western Isles appears in the report as Eilean Siar. Refer to the supplementary information outlined later in this report for further details relating to the census of Residential Care Homes and Nursing Homes.
3. The vacancy monitoring scheme was established following the NHS and Community Care Act 1990 coming into operation in April 1993. The aim of the scheme is to assist the Scottish Executive, formerly The Scottish Office, in monitoring the implementation of the Government’s policy of having a ‘mixed economy of care’.
4. Occupancy rates in residential care homes for older people and nursing homes have fluctuated since the vacancy monitoring scheme began. The number of occupied beds in nursing homes has generally increased over the period. In private residential care homes for older people the number of occupied beds has also increased. There has been a decrease in the number of occupied beds in both local authority and voluntary residential care homes for older people. (See Table 1 and Figures 1a-1c)
5. The number of occupied beds and bed complement in local authority homes for older people has generally fallen since March 1993. Over the last period the number of occupied beds has decreased at a greater rate than the bed complement, resulting in a drop in occupancy rate. The current occupancy rate of 88.5 per cent is the lowest rate recorded since the vacancy monitoring scheme began. (See Table 2a & Figure 2a).
6. Both bed complement and the number of occupied beds in private residential care homes for older people are continuing to increase. (See Table 2b & Figure 2b)
7. As with the previous period, the last year saw a slight fall in occupancy rate in the voluntary sector. Although both bed complement and the number of occupied beds increased over the period. (See Table 2c & Figure 2c)
8. Against the general trend since the scheme began, the number of occupied beds and bed complement in nursing homes has decreased over the period. There has been a marked decrease in occupancy rates since the scheme began. Recent periods have shown occupancy rates beginning to increase. (See Table 2d & Figure 2d)

Table 1 (10k) - Bed Complement, Occupied Beds and Occupancy rate in Residential care Homes for Older People and in Nursing Homes, 31-March-1993 to 31-March-1999

Figure 1a (17k) – Occupancy Rate in Residential Care Homes for Older People and in Nursing Homes.

Figure 1b (11k) – Bed Complement in Residential Care Homes for Older People and in Nursing Homes.

Figure 1c (11k) – Number of Occupied Beds in Residential Care Homes for Older People and in Nursing Homes.