Nearly half of city care homes get lowest rates

Data compiled by older people’s charity Independent Age shows 46.5 per cent of care homes in the city have the bottom two ratings. It is one of seven areas with a figure higher than 40 per cent.

Independent Age blamed low levels of funding from local authorities, poor pay and difficulties recruiting staff, as well as the lack of a good support mechanism for struggling homes to call upon.

Janet Morrison, chief executive, said: ‘Older people and their families are still facing an unenviable choice between poor care homes in some parts of the country. While it is encouraging there has been an overall improvement in quality, this masks persistent variation in the quality of care homes within each region of the country.

‘The market simply does not seem to be able to drive the rapid improvement needed in many areas.’