Councils and health boards can pool money to run care homes, Welsh Government says

Ahead of a public meeting (19 Sept.) and protest march (16 Sept.) in Aberystwyth in support of the under-threat Bodlondeb care home, Assembly Member Joyce Watson has made public a letter (here) from the government’s social services minister regarding local government and NHS joint funding for residential and nursing beds.
The Labour Mid and West AM said she hoped the minister’s letter would inform the consultation on the proposal to close the Penparcau residential care home, which ends on 25 September. Last week Ceredigion Council’s Cabinet voted to not extend the period of consultation.
Amid reports that the Plaid/Independent-run council could look to close care homes in Lampeter and Cardigan in future, Mrs Watson wrote to Welsh Government minister Rebecca Evans seeking urgent clarification on current and future funding arrangements.
Ms Evans replied that from April 2018 councils and health boards must have in place pooled funding arrangements for the running of care homes. She explained, however, that “there is nothing to prevent these arrangements being introduced prior to that date.”
Joyce Watson AM commented:
“Under the 2014 Social Services and Well-Being Act, from next April councils and health boards will have a statutory obligation to establish and maintain pooled fund arrangements in relation to the exercise of their care home accommodation functions. However, there is nothing stopping them from doing that now. As we approach the consultation deadline, it is very important that all options remain on the table – I thank the minister for her timely clarification.”