12.12.11
Database to rate care homes announced
A customer ratings website is to be created for care homes in next spring’s white paper on social care. This will allow users to rate care providers on an online database, which people can then use to compare different homes.
Records of mistreatment or abuse will be present on the site, as well as the latest information from inspections and feedback from residents and relatives.
Care Services minister Paul Burstow said: “The reason I’m so excited by these new ideas is they came from care users themselves. Measures like publishing social care comparison sites and opening care services up to greater scrutiny will revolutionise the way people and their loved ones choose their social care.
“It can’t be right that you can find out exactly what a hotel or restaurant is like in just a short time searching the web, but people have so much trouble working out the standards of different care homes and home care providers – when that choice is so much more important.
“I hope providers of good quality care will welcome that we’re looking for new ways to highlight the good work they do to care for people.
“And for those areas where standards aren’t so good, I want people to get the message loud and clear that we’re intent on doing absolutely all we can to shine a light on bad treatment and raise quality for everyone.
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