Managers of care home at Docking tell MP of the challenges they face
Challenges facing many care homes were highlighted when North West Norfolk MP James Wild visited a village care home.
Mr Wild heard firsthand some of the pressures on smaller care homes and why many are closing when he spoke to staff at Docking House, operated by Armscare Limited.
The MP met residents, staff and management. The visit followed feedback received from Armscare in response to Mr Wild’s Small Business Saturday Survey, which raised issues from in-house operations to broader national policy concerns.
Docking House in Docking, provides residential care for elderly and vulnerable individuals, offering specialised services such as dementia and palliative care, day and respite care and short-term holiday stays at the purpose-built facility which has 39 beds.
Mr Wild toured the premises with Raj Sehgal, chief executive of Armscare Limited, representatives from the Norfolk Care Association and members of the Docking House team. He learned about the dementia care unit, spoke to residents about their experiences and listened to staff as they described the rewards and challenges of providing personalised care.
Discussions with management focused on key challenges facing the care sector, including the impact of increased employer National Insurance contributions and the National Minimum Wage as well as the discrepancy between government funding of local authorities and the "fair cost of care," which has created unsustainable deficits for some providers.
The team highlighted the role of skilled international workers in reopening previously closed beds and the pressures on smaller care homes, many of which are closing due to unfunded legislative changes that threaten their financial viability.
Speaking about the visit, Mr Wild said: “It was great to have the opportunity to visit Docking House, see the dedication of the staff, and hear firsthand from residents about the vital care they receive. Seeing the relationships it fosters with its residents, it's clear that this facility is focused on providing high quality care. It was valuable to hear about the challenges raised by the team here, along with feedback from others."
Mr Sehgal, Armscare added: “We were delighted to welcome James Wild MP and Michael Millage (Norfolk Care Association) to Docking House, a dementia home set in the heart of Docking.
“It was useful to discuss Norfolk’s unique challenges in resourcing the sector and enlighten James as to why so many smaller care homes are simply shutting due to additional unfunded legislative pressures. We also discussed key local challenges with James, which he has assured us that he will take up on our behalf.”
Docking House has been serving the community for more than three decades.
