Care home places could run short as owners retire and homes close with no-one to take over, a report has warned.

The report by the Public Policy Institute for Wales (PPIW) also said financial pressures on care homes had made it more difficult for new entrants to enter the market.

• Download a copy of the report: The Care Home Market in Wales: Mapping the Sector

The report, published in October, found Wales less dependent than England on large firms such as Southern Cross, which collapsed in 2011.

But experts said high capital costs, uncertain income and staff shortages deterred existing firms from expanding their operations, and new entrants.

Health Minister Mark Drakeford (pictured below) said the report would help shape the debate about the provision of care.

Some existing operators were interested in expanding, but the report said they were put off by the capital costs involved, uncertainty over future demand, and the rising costs of care as people needed more intensive support.

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BBC Wales: Care home shortage warning as owners retire