Weaker standards for care homes confirmed

The government has confirmed plans to go ahead with the watered
down physical and environmental standards for care homes,
writes Sally Gillen.

In the amended set of national minimum standards for care homes
for older people, homes built before April 2002 will be exempted
from nine of the environmental standards on space, baths, doorways
and single rooms.

In the amended standards for care homes for adults aged 18 to
65, pre-existing homes will be exempted from eight standards on
shared rooms, shared bathrooms and wheelchair access.

The concessions were first put forward in a government u-turn
last July, and follow a four-month consultation which elicited 243
responses, the majority in favour of the amendments.

The majority of the standards bought in under the Care Homes
Regulations 2001 came into force in April 2002, and remain
unchanged. Amended standards will come into force from June
2003.