Re-think home care services says new report
18 October 2006
Councils should re-think the way they organise home care
services, according to the findings of a major report published
today by the Commission for Social Care Inspection.
Many people find that their care workers are too rushed. The ’15
minute slot’ model of service - where a care worker is allotted
only a few minutes to get a person up, washed and dressed before
they are out of the door and on to the next person - can be
undignified and unsafe.
Commenting on the findings from the first ever inspections of
domiciliary care services in England, Dame Denise Platt, Chair of
the Commission, said:
“This report paints a mixed picture of the quality of home care.
It is critical that those who commission and provide home care
services listen to what people say they want and value.
“Failure to listen to what people really need, and respond to
this, results in missed opportunities to promote independence and
to help people live full and rewarding lives. At worst, it can also
result in services that do not respect people’s rights and
dignity.
“As the numbers of older people grow, councils must reshape
services to support people living at home with more personalised
care. Doing more of the same will not be enough.”
Paul Snell, CSCI’s Chief Inspector, said:
“Social care can transform lives, but we do need to find new
ways of organising services so that people have a better range of
choices.
“Since we started regulating the sector three years ago, home
care services have improved. But we will need fundamental change if
we are to meet the needs of our growing older population. Our
report aims to contribute to a debate about what services should be
offered to whom, and what form they should take. We have included
examples of some innovative practice, that put people much more in
control and really promotes their independence.”
The report, ‘Time to Care?’ sets out how agencies are meeting
Government standards, while probing the experience of older people
who receive care at home.
There is simply not enough time for care workers to get to know
a person and develop a relationship of trust. This is de-motivating
for older people and their care workers alike. Lack of time to
provide a quality service is not rewarding for staff, especially
when they have trained hard to qualify for their role. Home care
services also often have serious problems in recruiting, training
and retaining good quality staff. Younger people find better wages
working in their local supermarket, and have little incentive to
work in the care industry.
Home care provides a vital service to thousands of people every
day. But councils should consider new ways of organising these
services, so they respond more sensitively to people’s needs.
Councils also concentrate services on people with the most
severe needs, meaning that many people who would benefit from home
care services do not receive it because of high eligibility
thresholds. The number of people receiving council-funded home care
services has been falling since the 1990s, even though the older
population has risen. In 1992 over 500,000 households received
funded home care. By 2005, this number had dropped to just 354,500
households.
Ends
Notes to editor
1. A copy of the report is available, under embargo, from the
press office. It will be on the website from Wednesday 18 October -
www.csci.org.uk
2. The CSCI is the single inspectorate for social care in
England, responsible for regulating and inspecting all social care
providers - whether in the public or independent sector, and for
assessing the performance of local councils in delivering their
personal social services functions.
3. The Commission’s primary aim is to improve social care by
putting the needs of people who use care services first.
4. The Commission is chaired by Dame Denise Platt DBE and has
five Commissioners. The Chief Inspector is Paul Snell. CSCI staff
work across nine regions in England - aligned with the government
offices of the regions.