Health Minister Report Calls for Revolution in Residential Care

Published 16 September 2014.

A recent report released by the Commission on Residential Care (“CORC”) has highlighted that the residential care sector must reinvent itself if it is to remain a vital part of the health and social care sector in the future.

The CORC, a think-tank chaired by ex-Health Minister Paul Burstow MP, has established the report “A vision for care fit for the twenty-first century..” to create a case for change in the care of older people in residential care facilities. It highlighted the negative public perceptions of residential care and how it is often seen as a last resort. It also raised concern around how residential care is commissioned, regulated and inspected, and how staff are often undervalued and see little career progression.

In terms of the future, the report made various recommendations including: a broader definition of ‘housing with care’ to be adopted within government policy; for changes in the approach to funding; for the redefinition of residential status in care homes (to provide people with tenancies); for co-location of care settings with other community services; for an expanded role for the Care Quality Commission; and for workforce-related changes, including payment of a living wage and the introduction of a licence to practice for care staff.

At Carefound Home Care we believe there should be a broad spectrum of high quality care offerings for elderly people all of which should be trusted as a way of improving each person’s quality of life. This should include hourly home care, 24-hour live in care, independent living with care (assisted living) and nursing homes. If providers across all of these sub-sectors can strive to offer the highest quality care possible elderly people in the UK will be blessed with genuine choice across services that can meet there individual needs, whatever stage of life they may be at.

Source: www.demos.co.uk

Carefound Home Care is a provider of specialist home care and dementia care services to elderly people in Yorkshire, enabling clients to continue to live independently in the comfort of their own home whilst maintaining the highest quality of life achievable. Services can include anything from basic domestic support, companionship, personal care, medication help through to supporting people with more complex conditions such as dementia. The flexible service is available from 1 hour to 24 hours per day, 365 days a year, on both an hourly or 24-hour live in care basis.

To contact Carefound Home Care in Harrogate call: 01423 774070, for Ripon call: 01765 530000, for Wetherby call: 01937 220200. For additional information please visit: www.carefound.co.uk.