• Who We Are

    wHO wE are

    The Relatives & Residents Association exists for older people needing, or living in, residential care and the families and friends left behind at home.

  • What We Do

    WHAT WE DO

    We are here to support and inform residents, families and friends to find out all they need to know about residential care and to help them if things go wrong. Additionally, we speak out on behalf of a sector who cannot always speak out for themselves.

  • Helpline

    our helpline

    We offer information, comfort and support via a daily helpline. We take the time to listen and give whatever support is needed.

  • Influencing Policy & Influence

    influencing policy & practice

    We take note of your concerns and relay them to the people who can make changes. We send out potent messages and push for improvements for the benefit of vulnerable older people in care.

Support our call for changes making care home owners
and providers fully accountable

Support our petition calling for change

The Relatives & Residents Association is calling for the reinstatement of monthly checks by care providers for older people, which will force them to ensure that their businesses are being ethically run. We want to see legislation which will guarantee that home owners are not able to distance themselves when things go wrong and will be called to account when staff are convicted for abuse. We believe new regulations are urgently needed to make providers fully accountable for the health, safety and dignity of their residents.

We are calling for the reinstatement of regulations requiring that providers:

  • inspect their care homes monthly to check the standard of care provided;
  • report their findings to the regulator, the manager of the home and company directors;
  • ensure quality of care is improved when care is of a poor standard.
We want robust regulations that ensure the regulator, the Care Quality Commission, has the power to:
  • Impose serious penalties for carrying on a care home without a registered manager.

LATEST NEWS

17 April 2014

SHOULD RESIDENTS AT CARE HOMES
HELP WITH CHORES?

The Guardian's David Brindle writes about how the creators of a new toolkit for improving quality of life in residential care say that helping with the housework can benefit residents

 ...if somebody wants to peel the carrots or set the table, or make their own cup of tea, why not? The important thing is that care workers do it with them and don't send them out to dig the garden just to get shot of them...

Judy Downey, Chair R&RA

Read full article here 

 

12 April 2014

CARE HOMES ARE NOT ALL DREARY TV DUNGEONS
THAT SMELL OF WEE

The Guardian's Michele Hanson looks at what makes a good care home

...it beggars belief that to work with such vulnerable people, there are no adequately rigorous qualifications, and no clear career structure...

Judy Downey, Chair R&RA

Read full article here

23 March 2014

BBC RADIO 5 LIVE INVESTIGATES...

...how some local authorities are removing their clients from care homes because of neglect then failing to pass on this vital information to other residents.

...one of the real issues is that nobody understands that CQC says it doesn't deal with complaints, but it has to deal with complaints because most complaints are about
breaches of the regulations...

Judy Downey, Chair R&RA

Listen to Judy Downey on Radio 5 Live here

Our Campaigns and Projects

  • Is CQC Working?
  • Tell Us About Your Care Home

  • CQC Not Working CampaignIS CQC WORKING?

    Time running out for older people at risk in care

    The Relatives & Residents Association is calling on the government to make urgent changes to the Care Quality Commission – the body responsible for regulating care homes for older people. We want to see a complete change in he way this organisation works and protects older people in care homes.

  • Tell Us About Your Care HomeTELL US ABOUT YOUR CARE HOME

    We are working with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to help relatives' voices to be heard. We are looking at how calls to our helpline can inform CQC and help them protect residents. During the pilot, anyone contacting us who is worried about quality of care will have their information passed immediately to CQC. In turn, CQC will update us with any action they take.