BIHR Press Statement on EHRC's Home Care Inquiry

PRESS STATEMENT

20 June 2011

Statement from the British Institute of Human Rights in response to the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s Home Care Inquiry

Jean Candler, the British Institute of Human Rights' Head of Policy and Public Affairs said:

“This latest report adds to the wealth of existing evidence that something needs to change drastically in the way care is delivered to ensure the person at the centre of care comes first.

“Whenever we hear people knocking the Human Rights Act, we should remember that it provides protection to vulnerable people, including those receiving care in their own homes.

“Our experience in running human rights training and education is that human rights are an effective tool in bringing about the culture shift that is required to place people squarely at the heart of services.”

ENDS

Notes to Editors

1. For media enquiries and comment please contact Jean Candler on 020 7549 0550 / jcandler@bihr.org.uk

2. BIHR is a national independent human rights charity committed to bringing rights to life in the UK. Since the introduction of the Human Rights Act, we have specialised in taking human rights ‘beyond the courtroom’, making human rights knowledge accessible to a wide range of audiences and translating the ideas and laws into practical tools for people and organisations to use in everyday life. Further information about BIHR visit www.bihr.org.uk

3. BIHR has been working with the Department of Health and others to embed human rights into health and social care for a number of years. BIHR is now engaged in a project with voluntary sector organisations to look at how human rights can improve health and social care. For more information: http://www.bihr.org.uk/projects/human-rights-in-healthcare