§ Mr. DrewTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will launch an initiative to provide help and advice for private care home users through(a) a telephone hotline service and (b) local health/social services teams. [18360]
§ Jacqui Smith[holding answer 27 November 2001]: From April 2002 the independent National Care Standards Commission will regulate, inspect and register social and health care services previously regulated by local councils and health authorities. In doing so the commission will apply comprehensive new national minimum standards for all care homes. The standards for older people's care homes were published in March and provide for homes to have a specified complaints procedure and to provide information to service users on how to refer a complaint to the commission.
The Department is also piloting care direct in six councils in the south west. This new service is designed to provide help and advice for all older people, their relatives and carers about social care, health, housing and social security benefits. We plan to extend care direct to cover the whole of England by 2005.