Local Authorities Need To Improve Care

Local authorities have been warned by the government that they will lose their responsibility for care if they fail to improve services over the next three years, according to the Independent.

The paper reports that care for the elderly and disabled could be taken out of the hands of local government under new plans put forward by Gordon Brown’s administration.

Some 370 nursing and care homes across that country have been given a “no star” rating after the Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) assessments.

Furthermore, according to the Independent, 31 care homes have been sent legal notices by the CSCI stating it will withdraw their licences and move residents to other nursing homes.

Health minister Ivan Lewis told the paper: “If at the end of three years, local government has not delivered on those building blocks, I think there will be some really big questions to be asked about its capacity to commission these services in the future.”

The CSCI star rating is given to councils after inspection of their social care services.