While the general standard of care is getting better, according to the Care Quality Commission's (CQC) first report into the standards of adult social care services in England published 3rd December 2009, Counsel and Care still has major concerns about the quality of care provided to vulnerable older people living in a care home.

Almost a quarter of care homes for older people (24%) continue to provide care that is of a poor or adequate standard rated as one or no stars, and almost one-fifth of care services overall still remain poor or adequate, according to the CQC's report. Areas highlighted as needing urgent attention include record-keeping, medication, service user care plans and staff supervision.

And, improvement in the provision of social contact and activities in a care home has increased by only 8% since 2003, showing that there is a long way to go before the care provided in care homes across England can truly be judged as person-centred.

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