Investigate markets, say care providers

An inquiry into the home care market should be carried out
alongside a proposed investigation into the care home sector, say
care providers.

Earlier this month, the Consumers’ Association and 28 charities
made a complaint to the Office of Fair Trading about the
“dysfunctional”care home market and called for an inquiry (news,
page 10, 11 December).

But the UK Home Care Association urged this week that any
investigation should cover both markets, given their
“interdependent” relationship.

The original complaint said there was evidence that fees paid by
councils to providers were often insufficient to cover costs and
were subsidised by relatives and residents.