Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will introduce a social care standard to ensure that service users are given (a) a named carer and (b) an approximate time for each social care appointment.

The Care Act 2014 sets out a duty for local authorities to consider the quality of services. Local authorities must be mindful of the capacity, capability, timeliness, continuity, reliability and flexibility of services delivered in order to support the wellbeing of a person. The Care Act 2014 also allows people to receive personal budgets enabling them to plan their own care and support and exercise control over how it is provided including directly employing a personal assistant at a time to suit them.

The Care Quality Commission monitor, inspect and regulate services to make sure they meet fundamental standards. They also set clear expectations of what a good service looks like. For home care providers, this includes introducing people to the staff who will provide them with care and being told if the person due to provide the care changes at short notice.