Time to care?
18 October 2006
Councils should change how they organise home care services so
they respond more sensitively to people's needs, says our report
published today.
Read the Time to care? report:
Many people who use services in their own homes told us they
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.
The report reveals the current performance of home care in
England and gives recommendations on what can be done to improve
it.
A mixed picture
Commenting on the findings from the first ever inspections of
home care services in England, Dame Denise Platt, our chair,
said:
“This report paints a mixed picture of the quality of home
care.
“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.
“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, our 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.”
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