Alisoun Milne says: “The collapse of Southern Cross couldn’t be more timely in terms of drawing the public’s attention to the fragile state of care home provision and the powerless state of care home residents.
“How far the commercial sector can be expected – or indeed trusted – to provide high quality long-term care to some of the most dependent and frail elderly people in the UK has been brought into sharp relief. It’s predicted that other operators will follow suit, exposing even more elderly people and their families to distress and worry. That’s why the [Dilnot] Commission’s recommendations need to be considered as a matter of urgency and not simply shelved.”