England’s Care Quality Commission (CQC) has said that it will carry out a themed inspection programme of home care services to ensure they are meeting essential standards.
The health and social care regulator will focus on three outcomes: respecting and involving people who use services, the care and welfare of people who use services, and supporting workers.
The programme, will be launched in 2012 and will cover around 250 domiciliary care service providers.
It will be carried out along with an advisory group that includes the Equality and Human Rights Commission, Age UK, the United Kingdom Homecare Association and the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services.
CQC chief executive Cynthia Bower said that the organisation is concerned about dignity and respect, the safeguarding of people in vulnerable circumstances, and how well supported and trained home care staff are.
"We will use a range of ways of checking up on these services, including going into people’s homes, contacting people who use services and their families, talking to local groups who represent the users of home care services, and we will also ask people to fill in questionnaires," Bower said.

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