Care News:

Challenging Care Package Cuts

An Oxfordshire man has been given permission to bring a case against his local council after his home care package was reduced due to budgetary constraints.

The man receives 24 hour care but the council wanted to alter his care plan so that there would be a 6 hour period when the man would be left alone.

The Court has also instructed the council to maintain the existing level of support until his case is heard.

Challenging Council Funding

Four councils have brought a joint challenge in the Courts against the government for failing to give them enough funding to meet their obligations to vulnerable people.

Councils have a duty to maintain a system called DOLS (Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards) which ensures that people in receipt of care and support are looked after appropriately.

Care Act sees Funding Cuts

A recent report produced by the respite care provider 'Revitalise' has noted that despite new responsibilities being placed on local authorities by the Care Act, 55% of councils reduced their spending on care services in the first year of the Act's implementation.

Shrinking Local Authority Market for Home care

Industry specialists LaingBuisson have just released their latest market report on the state of the UK domestic care market.

They have found that the number of people in receipt of council funded home care has reduced from 415,000 people in 2000 to just 279,000.

However the average amount of care provided has almost doubled to 13 hours per week.