Human Rights act has been extended to include people who receive nursing and personal care in publicly funded accommodation.
The extension which came into action on December 1st will mean that under section 145 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 providers of accommodation with care will be treated as exercising a function of a public nature. This means that people using these publicly funded care services will now be protected by the Human Rights Act, but, adult placements are not affected by this legislation.

For more information on the act and how it may effect you please click here.

In November, the Government launched a consultation on the future of adult safeguarding in England, focusing on the protection of vulnerable adults within the care system.

The No Secrets guidance which is currently in place for local authorities, the police and the NHS to helps protect vulnerable adults will be addressed, as the government now wants to ensure it keeps up with changes in the social care system, with emphasis on choice, control and the changing forms of abuse.

The key issues the government will focus on include:

·    Whether there is now a need for legislation
·    The feasibility of a national database of recommendations from serious case reviews where abuse has occurred
·    What new measures are needed in the face of increased ‘personalisation’ of care with more people now being in charge of their own care instead of local authorities
·    What new measures are needed in the face of changing forms of abuse, such as financial abuse

Care Services Minister, Phil Hope said:

I am determined to improve safeguarding of vulnerable people. We need a greater focus on prevention, a greater emphasis on safeguarding in commissioning services and support, and greater empowerment of people to determine how they wish to be safeguarded. The No Secrets guidance must be updated to make sure everyone - individuals, police, care agencies, the NHS and local authorities prevent abuse, and also recognise it and stamp it out if it does occur.

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