Information on the number of homes was collected by the Department for the years 1997 and 2001. The table shows the number of residential and nursing care homes in Bexley, as at 31 March, in 1997 and 2001.
Rounded data 1997 2001 Residential homes1 60 60 Nursing homes2,3 20 25 Total homes2,4 75 80 1 Residential data are for Bexley authority. 2 Nursing data in 1997 are for Bexley health authority, whereas nursing data for 2001 are for the Bexley and Greenwich health authority. This followed a merger of the two Health authorities Bexley and Greenwich health authority; the number of nursing homes in Greenwich was not recorded in 1997. 3 Nursing data include places in general nursing homes, mental nursing homes and private hospitals and clinics. 4 Totals may not equal the sum of parts due to rounding Sources: Department of Health RA and RH(N) returns.
The Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) produces data on the number of care homes and places registered as at 31 March each year, beginning with 2003. There are some definitional differences between these data and those for years up to 2001.
I understand from the chair of CSCI that, as at 31 March 2005, there were four nursing and 29 residential care homes in Bexley local authority. I am informed by CSCI that the reduction in numbers is due to several factors:
Since 2001, 20 homes in Bexley have de-registered.
Data collected up until 2001 by the Department included private hospitals and clinics, which were counted as nursing homes. These are now registered by the Healthcare Commission and are not included in data on care and nursing home numbers produced by CSCI.
Bexley local authority covers a smaller area than the Bexley and Greenwich health authority.
The Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI), as the independent inspectorate for all social care services in England, is the statutory body which inspects and regulates the care home sector. CSCI took over the regulation and inspection of care homes in England from the National Care Standards Commission (NCSC) on 1 April 2004, under powers given to it under the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Act 2003.
Independent healthcare providers in England, including independent nursing homes where care is provided by medical practitioners, must be registered with the Healthcare Commission. To register, they need to demonstrate compliance with the Care Standards Act 2000 and associated regulations.
Care homes are also subject to inspection and regulation by bodies such as local authority environmental health departments, the fire services and the Health and Safety Executive.