§ Mr. AshleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to ensure that standards of community care are of a national minimum quality.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyThe need to secure and safeguard the necessary quality of community care is integral to the proposals set out in the White Paper "Caring for People". A wide range of measures will be taken. Some are provided for in the National Health Service and Community Care Bill. In particular we are seeking powers to require local authorities to draw up and publish plans for community care services, and to assess the needs of people requiring social care.
In drawing up contracts for service provision from independent suppliers, local authorities will need to specify the quality and standards expected. Authorities will also be required to set up independent inspection units charged with inspecting and reporting on local authority residential care homes, as well as registering and inspecting independent residential care homes.
The Department proposes to issue guidance on the establishment of these units and the assessment of quality of provision.
These arrangements will be monitored by the Department's social services inspectorate whose advisory and supervisory functions will be strengthened.