MP Raises WI Branch's Care Concerns

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Wed 27th Aug 2003

The Liberal Democrat MP for North Norfolk, Norman Lamb, this week met with members of the Sheringham Evening Women's Institute and has raised their concerns about care issues with the Government.

Sheringham Evening WI put down a motion which was debated at the Institute's National Conference at the Royal Albert Hall in June. It was on the subject of the care of older people, and was passed with 99 per cent support. Mr Lamb has now taken up these issues with the Secretary of State for Health, John Reid, and Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott.

"Norfolk suffers as a result of central government not weighting care funding sufficiently for its large elderly population," said Mr Lamb. "Funding must take more account of the cost of providing services in widely-dispersed rural communities."

· Residential Care

Norman Lamb has also taken up concerns brought to his attention by independent care home owners (representing Norfolk's private care homes.) He commented:

"Many factors are putting a squeeze on the already tight budgets of privately-run care homes. The raising of the minimum wage, a hike in the cost of inspections by the National Care Standards Agency and for checks by the Criminal Records Bureau all represent significant extra burdens for care home owners. Homes are closing at an alarming rate in North Norfolk, and the Government simply has to do something to address this."