Self-funders in care homes: should they be offered an annual review of their placement from their local authority?

Older care home residents who are assisted financially by their local authority have to have their placements reviewed at least annually. Such reviews provide an opportunity for the older person and their relatives to comment on the care that they receive. One of the themes that emerged from a recent study into the care home review system in one local authority was that older people who self-fund do not have this opportunity and that this was inequitable. This paper discusses the possible benefits of extending the review system to include self-funders, together with some of the issues that this might raise.