HUMAN RIGHTS OF OLDER PEOPLE IN CARE

Early day motion 1183, tabled 1 December 2005 by Paul Burstow (Liberal Democrat). Signed by 68 members.

That this House notes with concern that older people living in privately run care homes are not afforded the same rights as those in local authority homes due to the narrow interpretation of the Human Rights Act 1998 by the courts; welcomes the Government's decision to refer this legal anomaly to the Discrimination Law Review, but calls for immediate action to safeguard vulnerable older people pending the outcome of this review; is deeply alarmed by research published earlier this year by the European Nutrition for Health Alliance which indicated a prevalence of malnutrition in older people in care homes at 60 to 100 per cent.; calls for nutritional standards for older people in all care settings equivalent to those announced this year for school children; and further calls for a duty to be placed on local authorities to investigate and act on cases where they have reason to believe a vulnerable older person is at risk of harm or exploitation.

Signatures by party: Labour 34, Liberal Democrat 19, DUP 6, Conservative 4, Social Democratic and Labour Party 2, Plaid Cymru 1, Respect 1, UUP 1.