Norman Lamb to transform the provision of home care

Care minister Norman Lamb has revealed his commitment to transforming the way care is provided to the elderly and disabled at home.

He will meet with care providers later today to discuss how they can tackle issues surrounding the sector. One area he is keen to challenge is the amount of time carers spend with clients, saying they should not be constrained to providing care in 15-minute slots.

The news has been welcomed by Leonard Cheshire Disability, which has been campaigning to end 15-minute home care visits.

Shaun Williams, director of corporate affairs at the charity, said: “Leonard Cheshire Disability has been campaigning hard to end the scandal of 15-minute personal care visits, so Norman Lamb’s commitment to tackle this is a hugely important and welcome step. Now we need to see definite action.

“Amending the Care Bill that is currently in Parliament would allow the Government to act and stop the commissioning of visits that don’t meet people’s basic needs, and to make sure that the whole way in which care is commissioned works for the people who need it.

“We would be delighted to work with the minister to make sure that this important Bill creates a care system that will always the support that people actually want and need.”

Louise Lakey, policy manager at the Alzheimer's Society, said: "All to often commissioners are putting price before quality. The problem is indicative of the current broken social care system which is also forcing people to pay huge amounts of money for vital care, such as help with washinig and eating. Yet we regularly hear that care for people with dementia in their own homes is not up to scratch. Professional carers only having limited time to spend with people with dementia makes providing quality care more difficult.

"Ahead of the spending review later this month we need Government to address this problem so that older people can count on good quality care when they need it."