Care Standards Act 2000
The Care Standards Act 2000 was introduced to establish an improved basic standard in residential care homes, nursing homes, and voluntary healthcare services (including private hospitals and clinics and private primary care premises). The Act applies to care homes for adults (ages 18 to 65) and older people.
To achieve this, the Act introduced several oversight bodies for social care in England (where it is regulated by an independent National Care Standards Commission) and Wales (where it is regulated by a department under the National Assembly for Wales). The Act also established a mandatory inspection process for care environments.
Certain parts of the Act introduced standards regarding the physical environment of the facilities. This includes aspects such as building maintenance requirements, usable floor space parameters (for each room) and sanitary appliance requirements (including en suite toilets and washing facilities).
In 2003, the Government relaxed some of these requirements due to issues associated with the costs of compliance. It was thought that some of the modifications would cause some facilities to close due to the investment required to make the facilities comply.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings
- A guide to installing thermostatic mixing valves: what, why and how.
- Care home.
- Hospital.
- Hot water safety in health and social care settings.
- Sheltered housing definition.
- The future of healthcare construction may be modular.
- Types of building.
[edit] External resources
- Legislation.gov.uk, Care Standards Act 2000.
Featured articles and news
A forward thinking, inclusive global community of members.
From engineered product life-spans, to their extension.
Circular economy in the built environment
A brief description from 2021. Where are we now?
Mental Health Awareness Week with ABS
Architects Benevolent Society programme of activity.
CLC publishes domestic retrofit competency framework
Roadmap of Skills for net zero.
May 13-19: Moving more for our mental health.
Understanding is key to conservation.
Open industry engagement survey seeks responses
Institutions and the importance of engagement.
National Retrofit Hub unveils new guide
Digital Building Logbooks and Retrofit: An Introduction.
Enhancing construction site reporting efficiency
Through digitisation and the digital revolution.
Noise in the built environment
BSRIA guide TG 20/2021.
17,000 people suffer conditions as a result of exposure to excessive noise at work.
Turning down the noise: Auditory health
A pervasive risk with far-reaching consequences.
Getting the most out of heat pumps and heating
How heat pumps work and how they work best.
Cost-of-living crisis and home improvement plans
Starting on the right footing and top tips for projects.
Electrotechnical excellence, now open for entries.