ELDERLY residents are seeing a drop in the number of

care home beds

despite more care homes being built in the Borough.

Figures from the Care Quality Commission (CQC) show

Bracknell

Forest has a 'care home crisis' with 15.1 per cent less care home beds available for older people in the Borough.

There were 444 beds available in 2014, in comparison to 377 in 2019, suggesting a sharp decline in numbers.

Bracknell Forest Council have said that more care homes are being closed due to 'quality concerns' from the regulator.

Thom Wilson, assistant director for commissioning said: "We work closely with providers to safeguard our residents and raise standards, however on some occasions, working in conjunction with the Care Quality Commission, we identify significant quality concerns - where providers are not able to rectify these, this can unfortunately lead to closures."

Overall, the number of care homes in England has fallen from 11,113 in 2014 to 10,878 in 2019, declining in 86 out of 150 authority areas.

The UK population is ageing with around 18.2 per cent of people aged 65 or over in 2017 in comparison to 15.9 per cent in 2007.

Despite the decline in number of care homes available to residents in Bracknell, there are new developments being built.

Thom added: “We have seen new care homes open within the borough and in neighbouring areas, and currently, a new home is being built in Bracknell.

"As part of our commitment to ensuring people are able to access high quality care and support locally, we are working in partnership with the health service to develop an integrated health and care residential nursing home on the site of the former Heathlands residential care home.”