Review into care at home can only improve matters

FOLLOWING the publication of the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s year-long inquiry into home care I feel compelled to write to you to say that as the owner of a company specialising in care of the elderly in Cambridgeshire, I wholeheartedly support the findings of the review.

Home Instead Senior Care’s stated aim is to change the way care is delivered to the elderly in the UK. We have believed for some time that the current system of care is broken. There is absolutely no excuse for individual neglect but the current system constrains many providers to a great extent. Compromises in delivering care for traditional home care providers are almost inevitable.

It’s why we won’t enter into block contracts which force providers in to delivering ‘care’ in 15 minute slots and why, for us, the minimum care visit is one hour. Indeed one of our company’s offices was audited as part of the Commission’s review and was praised by the EHRC, owing to our unique approach to care of the elderly.

Home Instead now has 100 offices across the UK, demonstrating that there is a demand for a more tailored service which focuses absolutely on the needs of the individual. Our approach is different because as well as our minimum one-hour call, we also offer continuity of care, whereby clients are visited by the same carer on each visit, ensuring that relationships are built.

Quality care cannot be delivered in short duration home visits. The ‘one size fits all’ approach might be driven by financial constraint, but the reality is that quality care begins with an individual and that’s where we start.

I hope that the EHRC’s review leads to change and am proud to be helping lead the way.

MIKE FRANCIS

Home Instead Senior Care

Station Road

St Ives