Older people in care denied human rights - Burstow

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Mon 5th Dec 2005

Paul Burstow MP will today announce details of a private member's Bill that he is introducing to strengthen rights of older people who use care services.

The Bill aims to:

1. extend the protection of the Human Rights Act (1998) to older people living in private sector care homes.

2. establish clear nutritional standards for all care services for older people, and

3. provide new legal protection to vulnerable older people at risk.

The announcement of Paul Burstow's Bill comes just days after winning the epolitix charity champion award for older people's champion at last Thursday's awards ceremony. And last week Paul Burstow tabled an Early Day Motion on the three key points in his Bill, to gain cross-party support.

Commenting on his Bill, Paul Burstow MP said:

"As the law stands when an older person crosses the threshold of a privately run care home they lose the protection of the Human Rights Act.

"How can it be right for two older people, both living in care homes and both funded by the council, for one of them to be able to exercise their human rights because they live in a council run care home, and the other to have no rights? My Bill would end this blatant discrimination.

"It's not just school children who deserve to have access to nutritious food. Older people living in care homes should be assured that the food they eat meets tough nutritional standards. At the moment, the minimum standards for care home catering say nothing about nutrition.

"The current law to protect vulnerable people who are at risk of harm is outdated and ineffective. My Bill would give local authorities a duty to investigate and act where they have reason to believe a vulnerable older person is at risk of harm or exploitation."

ENDS.