Probe into surge of admissions into Calderdale care homes

Calderdale Council’s Strategy and Scrutiny Performance Board was considering a number of key performance indicators when it met at Halifax Town Hall, one being the number of over 65s which had been admitted to residential or nursing care homes.

And going forward measures, often in partnership with health organisations, are being explored to enable people to stay in their homes for longer.

“There has been a long term downward trend followed by the rate staying relatively stable for the last two years.

“We have now seen increases in the last two quarters, missing the target,” it said.

New placements have since returned to a more normal level, says the report, but it acknowledges that for good performance on this measure to return to and stay at previous levels creative thinking would be needed as well as an increase in the amount of joint commissioning of places with partner organisations who include Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Trust, Calderdale Clinical Commissioning Group and housing providers.

“When people’s longer term needs are increasing, additional extra care and housing options are needed to allow people to live where care and support is more accessible to them, reducing their risk of crisis prompting the need for an admission to a care home or hospital bed.”

Initiatives include using increasingly accessible technology.

In turn, digital access for residents social care information and advice needs to be improved, councillors heard.