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National minimum standards in care homes will be applied in a flexible way in future, rather than being rigidly applied as at present, the government has said.

The government will also establish a single point of information for social care services and simplify the minimum standards.

The government's proposals are a response to a report on social care regulation published in the autumn by the Better Regulation Task Force (news, page 16, 9 September).

The task force's report criticises the standards as preventing older people from receiving good care and removing choice from them, as well as preventing charities from providing some additional support services.