Peer slams ‘ebay-style’ care system stripping vulnerable of dignity
A health minister has defended local authorities using an auction system that invites care homes to bid to offer places to elderly and disabled patients.
Reports this week revealed that some councils were using what have been dubbed “ebay-style” websites, which list people’s details such as their age and needs and allows local care homes to bid to house them.
Lord Laming (pictured), an independent crossbench peer and former chief inspector of social services, hit out at the system, which he said was stripping vulnerable people of their “humanity and dignity”.
But health minister Earl Howe said that where the system was used well it had resulted in good care and value for money for the taxpayer.
At question time in the House of Lords, Lord Laming said: “Advertising a block of services in an impersonal way is entirely different from advertising a vulnerable individual, striping them of their humanity and their dignity.”
He questioned whether local authorities were “disregarding the duty placed upon them by Parliament to do a proper assessment of need of each individual and produce a care plan and to make sure that care plan is related to their developing situation”.
Lord Howe said: “The new Care Act directs local authorities to put the well-being of people at the centre of all decisions about care and support.
“Commissioning high quality social care is ultimately a matter for local authorities.
“We are aware of electronic market-place systems that together with professional judgments by authority staff help embody this well-being principle by prioritising quality above cost whilst achieving value for money.”
He added: “The personal details of would-be service users should not be put in the public domain.
“The purpose of this system is to produce a tailored care plan that best meets the person’s needs and does not undermine their well-being.
“Where this has been done well it has resulted in good quality care while also providing value for money for the taxpayer.”
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