Plans to cut more than 95 per cent of NHS residential care beds in east Birmingham could lead to a bed blocking crisis.
Eastern Birmingham Patients Forum claims closing nearly all the long stay beds in the area was effectively shifting the burden of care from primary care trusts to patients' relatives.
Mark Oley, spokesman for the forum - which monitors Birmingham City Council and East Birmingham PCT - added this would put vulnerable patients at risk.
Speaking before last night's meeting at Kingsbury School, in Erdington, he said: "What we are witnessing is the passing of all responsibility for care from the NHS and social services to individual hard pressed families and individuals.
"The forum does not believe that the city and the PCT have a sustainable long-term plan to support older and vulnerable people with forms of dementia or Alzheimer's.
"We've stated all along that the whole approach is geared to saving money and that all the risks associated with older people's care will be forced back onto families and the clients themselves."
Mr Oley added that future privatisation of the service was a major concern for the patients' group. "Frankly, we are appalled that the council will not demonstrate openness when you consider the implications of the closure of all of the homes and the health impact, including, in some cases, the life of frail individuals, on such a vulnerable client group."
