RESIDENTIAL CARE HOMES, SCOTLAND 2000

STATISTICAL RELEASE

Introduction

The purpose of this Statistics Release is to present national figures for residential care homes for adults in Scotland as at 31 March 2000. These figures are provisional and as such are subject to change. The final figures will be published in Scottish Community Care Statistics 2000.

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 2000, there were 1,605 residential care homes registered in Scotland, offering a total of 24,802 places.
• 15,851 places in homes, intended for older people, accounted for 66 per cent of all residential care homes places in Scotland. Around 32 per cent of all places were in local authority establishments.
• Almost 79 per cent of residential care homes for client groups, other than older people, were run by the voluntary sector.
• 47 per cent of admissions to privately run homes were long stay residents compared with only 12 percent of admissions to local authority.
• In 2000, the average completed length of stay for long stay residents in homes intended for older people was 2 years and 9 months.

Profile of Residential Care Homes

Table 1 shows the number of residential care homes, residents and places, in Scotland, as at 31 March 2000.

41 per cent of homes for older people were privately run compared to 34 per cent run by local authorities. The breakdown of number of places provided were of similar proportions. (See table 1.)

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

TABLE 1: Residential Care Homes by Client Group and Sector as at 31 March 2000

Admissions Into Residential Care

Table 2 and chart 2 illustrate the number of admissions into residential care homes during the year to 31 March 2000. 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.

Table 2: Number of Admissions During the Year Ending 31 March 2000 by Client Group and Sector

During the period, there were just over 42,000 admissions into residential care homes in Scotland, around 7,200 of these were long-stay residents. Admissions to local authority run homes accounted for 48 percent of all admissions whilst privately run homes accounted for only 8 percent. (See Table 2)

From a total of 16,763 admissions into homes for older people, around 70 per cent were short stay admissions. Nearly 98 per cent of admissions into homes for people with learning disabilities were short stay residents. The number of short-stay admissions does not equate to the number of respite residents. If an individual receives more than one period of respite during the year they are counted each time they are admitted.

The number of short stay admissions into homes for people in other client groups was just under 4,800 in the year to March 2000. This has decreased substantially from the 6,200 admissions reported for the year to March 1999. The number of short stay, private sector admissions has dropped substantially between 1999 and 2000: from 970 to 354.

Looking at the overall picture, it would appear that these drops were a result of homes reclassifying their client groups. In addition, overall admissions to the private sector have decreased, whilst admissions into the voluntary sector have increased.

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 12 percent of clients in homes for older people were aged between 65 and 74 years, with around half of clients aged 85 or over. (See Table 3)

The private and voluntary sectors had the highest proportions of clients aged 85 or over in the older people client group with 58 and 60 per cent respectively. This compares with 50 percent for the local authority run homes. (See Table 3)

Table 3: Age Profile of Long-Stay Residents in Homes for Older People by Sector as at 31 March 2000

Row Percentages

Around 70 percent of clients in homes, not intended for older people, were aged between 31 and 64 years. Only 12 per cent of clients in these types of homes were aged 65 years and over, similar to 1999 figures. (See Table 4)

Around 22 percent of residents in privately run homes, not intended for older people, were aged 65 years or over. This corresponds with 8 and 10 percent in the local authority and voluntary sectors, respectively. (See Table 4)

Table 4: Age Profile of Long-Stay Residents in Homes not intended for Older People by Sector as at 31 March 2000

Row Percentages

Around 22 percent of residents in privately run homes, not intended for older people, were aged 65 years or over. This corresponds with 8 and 10 percent in the local authority and voluntary sectors, respectively. (See Table 4)

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 to 31 March 2000. These are presented in terms of their destination on discharge and length of stay by intended client group of home.

During the year to 31st March 2000, around 32 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)

Table 5: Destination of Long-Stay Residents Discharged During the Year Ending 31 March 2000 by Client Group

Row Percentages

29 percent of all residents discharged during the year had a length of stay of less than 6 months. Around 35 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 56 per cent and 49 per cent, respectively, of discharged residents staying for 5 years and over. (See Table 6)

Residents in homes intended for physically disabled people had the longest average stay of 8 years and 6 months, followed by those in homes for people with learning disabilities with an average stay of 7 years and 3 months. (See Table 6)

Table 6: Length of Stay of Long-Stay Residents Discharged During the Year Ending 31 March 2000 by Client Group

Row Percentages

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 number of establishments covered by the 2000 census is estimated to be around 1,640, of which around 1,620 remained open on the census day (31st March). These establishments were asked to provide detailed information on their residential care provision covering the period 1 April 1999 to 31 March 2000. Responses were obtained from around 1,359 establishments, giving an estimated response rate of approximately 84 percent. However, this response rate did vary from area to area.

The figures presented in this information note 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.

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.

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

Community Care Statistics
Room 52
James Craig Walk
Edinburgh
EH1 3BA

Contact: Steven Gillespie
Tel: 0131 244 3777
Fax: 0131 244 5315
e-mail: steven.gillespie@scotland.gov.uk

ANNEX 1: Residential Care Homes by Local Authority Area - number of homes, places and residents by sector as at 31 March 2000

A Scottish Executive National Statistics Publication

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