A ten-month study by the Office of Fair Trading has concluded that there are gaps in the information provided to people at almost every stage of choosing a care home. It was prompted by a complaint to the Office of Fair Trading by the consumer group Which? which alleged that information on care homes was inaccessible and contracts unfair. The report, 'Care Homes for Older People in the UK' recommends a one-stop shop for information on care home provision, with better access to complaints procedures, greater price transparency, and fairer contract terms. They have called for local authorities to publish directories on care homes, setting out what services are provided, what care homes are in the area, and prices.
Our view
Setting up a central body to monitor is fine but a 'one stop shop' for care provision is dangerous given that different local authorities have different rules, the rules are even different for England, NI, Scotland and Wales. Given that the finance industry now has benchmark examination and qualifications for long term care, we suggest that any central body refers to Independent Financial Advisers who have been suitably vetted to help and offer advice. How many in a Government backed 'one stop shop' will be qualified?