Private Care Homes PPE

[Bloomburger]

Should private care homes have been responsible for stockpiling their own PPE?

Just wondered, most I'm led to believe are owned by private equity firms, they make huge amounts of money and lots of it is apparently funnelled offshore.

I own a care home. I def

They do supply their own PPE but not to a surplus. The local authorities are providing more for infection control and (which is the purview of govt) and to reduce the spread, obviously. Local authorities also want private care homes to accept bedblockers from hospital as well as suspected and confirmed covid-19 cases.

Most care homes are not private equity funded. The market is very fragmented which is why it’s difficult to streamline procurement.

Two of the ‘big four’ are charities. HC1 has parent company in Cayman Islands. Four seasons has appointed an administrator to oversee the transfer of about 60 homes to other providers - because of financial difficulties. They only hold about 15% of market. Many care homes are small companies and individuals or partnerships. Many struggle to make ends meet at current funding levels.

Most usually provide their own equipment but some may be provided by CCGs or LAs, for specific purposes, such as in an outbreak of an infectious disease. NHSE has a system for supplies to care homes but it’s not terribly efficient at moment.