SOUTH West Beds MP Andrew Selous has told the House of Commons of the high praise given regarding staff at a Dunstable care home.
The MP had visited Ashton Lodge, in Ashton Road, and residents told him both publicly and privately about how kind and caring the staff were.
Speaking in a health questions session, Mr Selous said: “We are all concerned to make sure that older people are treated with dignity, kindness and respect when they are in a nursing or residential home.
“Occasionally, this does not happen and it is part of my role as a Member of Parliament to ensure that the Care Quality Commission and Central Bedfordshire Council urgently investigate any lapses in care for our frail and vulnerable older residents.
“It was a great pleasure to tell the House of Commons how highly the residents of Ashton Lodge think of their staff.”
He suggested more links between local communities and their care homes were needed to help maintain high standards of care, and asked how this could be achieved.
Care Services Minister Paul Burstow said one issue in a relevant White Paper is the collaboration by the Department of Health and others with leaders in the care sector to ensure care homes become much more ‘embedded’ in their communities.
He said: “By turning the spotlight on in a benign way, making sure that all care homes are more open to their public, I think we can significantly improve quality.”