Health Minister Jacqui Smith is set to face the wrath of care home owners who were forced out of business because they could not afford to continue.

The minister faces a rocky ride when she addresses members of the National Care Homes Association's (NCHA) annual conference in Gloucestershire on Thursday.

There will be some people here who were forced to close their homes

Sheila Scott NCHA

They are angry that up to 800 homes a year are being forced to close, because, they claim, they were either not financially viable or would not meet the government's new care standards.

But the Department of Health insists the standards could not be used as an excuse for the closures.

However, Sheila Scott, NCHA chief executive, says that unless her members get answers, Ms Smith might receive an uncomfortable reception.

Assurances needed

She called for cash from the extra �1bn that Health Secretary Alan Milburn promised social services for more nursing home places to be directed at the people her members care for.

She said members also wanted to know why many of the new standards passed in 2000, which included room sizes and doorway widths, had been shelved.

Mrs Scott said: "I am hoping that the minister is going to give some assurances about the way standards are being improved.

Concerns are growing as up to 800 care homes close a year

"Over the past three years there have been 700 to 800 homes closing a year and many were because they were worried they would not meet the new standards.

"There will be some people here who were forced to close their homes because they could not afford to continue or thought they could not meet the standards.

"Having introduced a set of standards on 1 April, why are some are now being reconsulted on?"

'Kind people'

Mrs Scott said she hoped the minister would give the 300 care home owners further information about the funding of long term care.

"Alan Milburn announced there was going to be extra money - we want to know how it is going to get to the people we care for," she said.

"Extra money has been given to social services to spend on long term care, but some of our members say they haven't seen that money in their areas.

"The minister may get a rocky ride if she cannot guarantee the extra money will get to the clients."

Mrs Scott added: "Care home owners are very kind people. They are very polite, but I think they will be seeking some serious answers to their concerns."

Fatal move?

NCHA say they welcomed the introduction of new national minimum care standards across the industry, but have always stressed that it was the quality of care that was important.

While the organisation could not prove that moving old people from their homes was fatal, many did die after the event.

Mrs Scott argued: "Nobody ever died from a small room, but they do die from poor care."

But a spokeswoman for the Department of Health insisted: "Care homes close for many reasons and given that the environmental standards were not due to be implemented until 2007, they cannot realistically have been the cause of closure.

"We also know that the majority of care homes already meet the minimum standards."

'Challenging standards'

National standards were continuously monitored, "and it has always been our intention to revise standards within the first three years and consider changes", the spokeswoman said.

"In the light of continuing concern about the impact of certain physical environment standards, we decided it was right to look again at these standards."

The spokeswoman said a consultation document in August proposed specific changes to the physical standards "which were the most challenging in terms of changes to the fabric of care homes".

"Conclusions from the consultation will be published as soon as possible after the end of the consultation period ends on 8 November."

Julian Trill, from the Criminal Records Bureau, is also likely to face a grilling from care home owners concerned about delays in getting new staff members checked and approved by the CRB.