Market Position Statement for older people in residential care - February 2024

Warwickshire has seen an increase in overall capacity in the past few years. CQC registrations of new and closing homes in Warwickshire for Older People during the period 2017 to 2023 (excluding re-registrations) indicate that the market is growing.

There has however, been a significant increase in nursing beds in Warwickshire compared to residential beds which have seen an overall reduction of 162 beds compared to an increase of 501 new nursing beds. The biggest increases in nursing beds can be seen in Stratford, Warwick and Nuneaton & Bedworth. Overall, Warwickshire has seen a net increase of 339 beds with 746 new beds and 407 closed beds.

Source: CQC database as of 1 December 2023

Understanding demand - location and need

Although the average number of available beds may suggest an adequate supply to meet our demands, the current situation regarding supply and demand varies significantly across the county. This disparity encompasses both bed capacity and pricing. When comparing data on bed vacancies with demand and the local population’s size, it becomes evident that in areas such as North Warwickshire and Nuneaton and Bedworth, the supply is notably less compared to other parts of the county, for both nursing and residential care services.

While it’s positive that providers are investing in Warwickshire, with several new care and nursing homes established, these facilities tend to target the higher end of the market in terms of fee rates.

Self-funders in older people’s care homes adds complexity to the challenges of forecasting future demand for services faced by local authorities. These individuals privately pay for their care instead of relying on government-funded support and the challenge arises from factors including a lack of reporting. This complexity can significantly impact our ability to predict future demand accurately and ensure that Warwickshire’s care market possesses the necessary capacity.

To address this, we are committed to fostering collaboration with care providers. Through close cooperation, we aim to enhance our understanding of the self-funder population within our region and work with providers to shape the market to meet needs.

Source - Care Quality Commission, Care Directory with filters – June 2023