The Social Services Inspectorate found that much still needed to be done to create fairer, more consistent services for physically and sensory disabled people. The numbers of disabled people being helped to live at home had increased, but it was felt that home care should be made more flexible and reliable. Those who had received direct payments were enthusiastic about how these had improved the quality of their life, but more should be done to encourage uptake. Most councils were making progress on integrating community equipment services with health partners. Services to support disabled parents needed further development, and arrangements for supporting disabled children into adulthood were often poor. Transport arrangements, advocacy services and employment potential within councils were also highlighted as areas where improvements could be made. (The report looked at social care services for physically and sensory disabled people aged 16-65 in England. It was based on inspections in eight councils and also from other information collected from 150 councils.)
Source: Independence Matters: Overview of the performance of social care services for physically and sensory disabled people, Social Services Inspectorate/Department of Health (08701 555 455)
Links: Report (pdf) | DH covering letter | DH press release
Date: 2003-Dec
The Consumers Association, in conjunction with 28 specialist charities, submitted an informal 'super-complaint' to the Office of Fair Trading urging further official investigation of the care homes sector. It said that the care home market was 'dysfunctional', and that an urgent investigation was needed to tackle key areas of concern in a sector serving frail and vulnerable consumers.
Source: Press release 5 December 2003, Consumers' Association (020 7770 7000)
Links: Consumers' Association press release | Briefing (pdf) | Age Concern press release | Guardian report
Date: 2003-Dec
A law firm report said that the inspection process for care homes (introduced in April 2002) was 'failing fundamentally', and that a modified system was needed. Following an inspection, 58 per cent of the 400 care home providers surveyed waited at least two months for a draft report to be delivered, and 38 per cent waited in excess of two months: this included homes where inspectors had discovered serious matters needing urgent attention. The care homes inspectorate said that this conflicted with its own survey findings, and that serious problems of abuse or poor care in care homes and other care services would be tackled with immediate action.
Source: DLA Healthcare Survey: Report 2003, DLA (08700 111111) | Press release 20 October 2003, National Care Standards Commission (0191 233 3600)
Links: Report (pdf) | DLA press release | NCSC press release
Date: 2003-Oct
A report examined disabled people's views on the strengths and weaknesses of the direct payments scheme, from those accessing the payments and those still trying to. It said there was a need for central government to monitor and review the take up of direct payments. (From April 2003 local authorities were obliged to offer direct payments to all disabled people using social care services.)
Source: The Direct Approach: Disabled people s experience of direct payments, Scope (020 7619 7341)
Links: Summary (pdf) | Scope press release
Date: 2003-Oct
A taskforce report on the support needs of disabled people in a parenting role said that policies and services were commonly developed without consulting or involving the parents concerned. Disabled parents found it difficult to access information and advice, advocacy and peer support. There were particular problems with the relationship between children's services and adults' community care services. Work was required at both national and local level to create the framework for more appropriate service responses.
Source: Jenny Morris, The Right Support: Report of the task force on supporting disabled adults in their parenting role, York Publishing Services for Joseph Rowntree Foundation, available from York Publishing Services Ltd (01904 431213)
Links: Report (pdf) | JRF Findings 963 | Community Care report
Date: 2003-Sep
A study found that an acute shortage of information about the numbers and characteristics of disabled people was causing unsuitable and badly planned care.
Source: Jane Ackroyd, Where Do You Think You're Going?, John Grooms (020 7452 2121)
Links: Report (pdf) | Summary | Guardian report
Date: 2003-Jun
The Scottish Executive published (for consultation) a working group report on ways to improve the equipment and adaptations provided in Scotland for disabled and older people.
Source: Equipped for Inclusion: Report of the Strategy Forum - Equipment and adaptations, Scottish Executive, TSO (0870 606 5566)
Links: Report | SE press release
Date: 2003-Jun
The government announced a doubling of the fee from 1 July 2003 for making criminal record checks on people working with children and vulnerable adults. Care home owners predicted that some homes would be forced out of business as a result.
Source: Press release 5.6.03, Home Office (0870 000 1585) | Letter 6.6.03 from National Care Homes Association (020 7831 7090)
Links: Home Office press release | NCHA letter (pdf) | Guardian report
Date: 2003-Jun
The government announced new regulations (effective from 8 April 2003) requiring all local councils in England to offer direct payments (cash in lieu of social services) to people who had an assessed need and were able to manage them (alone or with assistance). The government said direct payments were 'an important vehicle for the promotion of independence and choice for adults using social services'. The new regulations also permitted the use of direct payments to pay for the employment of spouses or other close relatives as carers. (Similar measures were announced for disabled people in Scotland with effect from 1 June 2003.)
Source: The Community Care, Services for Carers and Children's Services (Direct Payments) (England) Regulations 2003, Statutory Instrument 2003/762, Department of Health, TSO (0870 600 5522) | Community Care and Health (Scotland) Act 2002, TSO (0870 606 5566)
Links: Statutory Instrument | Scottish Act | Scottish Executive press release
Date: 2003-Apr
The first special report of the new National Health Service ombudsman contained the results of four investigations into complaints about the way in which health authorities set and apply their eligibility criteria for NHS funding for the continuing care of older and disabled people. It said that the Department of Health's guidance and support to date has not provided the secure foundation needed to enable a fair and transparent system of eligibility for funding for long-term care to be operated across the country. But the government reportedly dismissed claims that many more people would be eligible for free long-term care as a result of the report.
Source: NHS Funding for Long Term Care of Older and Disabled People, Second Report (Session 2002-03), HC 399, Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Report (pdf) | Report | Ombudsman press release | Age Concern press release | Community Care article
Date: 2003-Feb
The government announced that, following consultation, care homes which existed before 1 April 2002 would no longer be required to make changes to meet some of the physical environmental standards which came into force on that date. Higher standards would still apply to new care homes. Campaigners expressed 'extreme disappointment' at the moves.
Source: Care Homes for Older People: National Minimum Standards, Department of Health, TSO (0870 600 5522) | Care Homes for Adults (18-65) and Supplementary Standards for Care Homes Accommodating Young People Aged 16 and 17: National Minimum Standards, Department of Health, TSO | The Care Homes Regulations 2001 (updated), Department of Health, TSO | Press release 18.2.03, Department of Health (020 7210 4850) | Press release 18.2.03, Age Concern England (020 8765 7200)
Links: Standards (Homes for Older People) (pdf) | Updated regulations (pdf) | DH press release | Age Concern press release | NCSC press release
Date: 2003-Feb
From 31 January 2003, all state-regulated private welfare agencies were able to exempt their welfare services, including home care, from value-added tax. This meant that around 60,000 sick, elderly and disabled people will no longer have to pay VAT on their home care costs.
Source: House of Commons Hansard, Oral Answers 27.2.03, column 399, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Hansard
Date: 2003-Jan