Sandra Gidley

Liberal Democrats | Romsey

Problems Raised By OFT Care Home Report Will Not Be Solved By Another Quango - Gidley

Sandra Gidley MP, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Older People, responding to the OFT report, Care homes for older people in the UK - A market study, said:

"The problems highlighted in this report have been ignored by the Government for too long.

"It is a scandal that two-thirds of self-funded residents have contracts that the OFT regard as 'unfair and unclear'. Government at all levels need to ensure that vulnerable, elderly people are not ripped off.

"This study has revealed problems in obtaining information about moving into a home. But the problem won't be solved by setting up another quango. The Government must ensure that local councils provide the information recommended by the OFT and introduce one-stop shops for older people.

"This Government has betrayed frail elderly people by breaking its promise to end the scandal of charges for long term care. It is time to scrap charges for personal care, as the Liberal Democrats have done in Scotland."