According to a recent report by Unison, the UK care industry is on the “brink of collapse”.

There have been growing concerns about the UK care industry in recent weeks for a number of reasons, including the financial troubles one of the UK’s largest care home providers is experiencing, increased accounts of abuse in care homes, and the deprivation of basic human rights in community care.

-Trouble for Southern Cross-

Concerns are growing for the UK’s biggest care-home provider, Southern Cross, who are currently experiencing serious financial difficulties. The report by Unison has stated that other large companies in the sector are also experiencing financial problems, and that if they were to go under, taxpayers would have to pick up the bill.

The Department of Health has denied that these financial issues have undermined the UK care system. Such stories however, have not helped the current view of the UK care system

- Abuse still occurring regularly in UK care homes -

A recent program aired by Panorama depicted the horrifying abuse that residents in a care home in Bristol were suffering on a regular basis.

The physical and verbal abuse uncovered towards these vulnerable adults highlighted consistent failings which are being observed in care homes, and in the care sector in general, on a worryingly increasing basis.

Care providers must make a commitment to the individuals who entrust them with their own safety and wellbeing, or that of their loved ones. Programs such as Panorama have recently highlighted a frightening lack of accountability and supervision in the care sector, placing a cloud of suspicion and wariness over the whole sector.

Indeed, the Panorama program sparked criticisms and investigations of the Care Quality Commission (CQC), the regulator of care in England. The Panorama program has since led to 13 members of staff being suspended, and the home now looks set for closure. Is this really the answer, however?

Yet again, more investigations have begun as a result of these findings. It is difficult to believe that such investigations will really have a positive effect on the care sector, its regulations, and people’s perception of it.

Instead, we should use this opportunity to educate and reassure the individuals we care for and their families that quality care agencies, which closely supervise care and promote dignity and independence of Service Users, do exist.

- Short care visits at home depriving individuals of their basic human rights -

In addition to the recent depiction of abuse and violence towards vulnerable adults in care homes, the Equality and Human Rights Commission has warned recently that older people’s basic human rights are being overlooked in home care visits provided by community services.

The EHRC found evidence of older people being left in bed for up to 17 hours at a time, being abandoned in dirty and soiled beds, refused help to eat and drink, and most worryingly, being stripped of their privacy and dignity. The horrific findings were uncovered during an inquiry the EHRC is carrying out into protection and promotion of human rights of older people who receive care at home in the UK.

The findings suggested that short appointment times, often of only 15 minutes, led to basic needs of the individuals being ignored. This is not the first time findings have shown that short care visits can lead to substandard care – stories of basic care tasks not being carried out due to limited time seems to be a recurring theme these days.

Can this be avoided? The imminent threat of cuts to social care funding seems to indicate that this problem can only get worse. One way of avoiding this situation for somebody you care about could be to opt for live-in care instead. The future of care? Probably not, but at the least it is valid alternative for vulnerable individuals requiring care.