Corbyn tells PM: 'Private sector care providers are letting down elderly'

Prime Minister Theresa May was told to put care over profit by Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn in a heated exchange of views in the House of Commons.

During Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs) on 23 May, Jeremy Corbyn said: “The CQC [Care Quality Commission] said last year there is too much poor care. A fifth of care providers require improvement.

"Year after year private sector care providers are letting down our elderly."

‘Catalogue of disasters’

He then told her: “I had a letter this week from Ann. Yes Ann.

“She is somebody who is retired and until recently had been caring for her mother at home.

“And she wrote: ‘The NHS pay a private nursing home for mum’s care. Day after day we experienced a catalogue of disasters.

‘I can’t leave my mum knowing that her needs aren’t catered for. So I spend hours at the nursing home.

‘What action is the Government taking to deal with the substandard care providers give in the private care sector which is so upsetting for so many people?’ ”

May: ‘We are looking into the quality of care’

Care providers have been vocal about how a lack of Government funding has not helped the care sector, arguing it is struggling with a number of challenges including staff retention and recruitment issues.

Care sector leaders including Martin Green, the chief executive of Care England which represents care home providers, have long argued that the sector's calls for more funding have fallen on deaf ears.

Mr Corbyn's comments came as he spent PMQs questioning Theresa May about the outsourcing of NHS services to the private sector.

In response to Mr Corbyn's comments on care homes, Theresa May told MPs: ”It is this Government that has put in place the various steps to ensure that we are looking into the quality of care that is provided.”