Committees

Protecting human rights in care settings

Inquiry

This inquiry will look at human rights concerns in care settings in England, highlighting areas in which the human rights of patients, older people and others living with long-term disabilities, including learning disabilities and autism, are currently undermined or at risk.

The inquiry will cover people living in residential care homes, hospitals and supported housing, as well as those receiving social care services in their own homes.

It will look at:

  • What human rights issues need to be addressed in care settings, beyond the immediate concerns arising from the Covid-19 pandemic? 
  • How effective are providers at respecting the human rights of people under their care? 
  • How effective are regulators in protecting residents from human rights breaches and in supporting patients and residents who make complaints about their care provider? 
  • What lessons need to be learned from the pandemic to prevent breaches of human rights legislation in the future? 

Read the initial call for evidence for more detail about the inquiry.

In addition to calling for written evidence from people wishing to respond to the questions set out in the terms of reference, the Committee has also set up an online web survey to hear a wider range of views.

Warning – Please be aware that some of the written evidence published as part of this inquiry may contain content that some readers might find distressing.

This inquiry is no longer accepting evidence

The deadline for submissions was 11:59pm on 2 November 2021.

Upcoming events

View all events

No upcoming events scheduled

Past events

Wednesday 18 May 2022
2:45pm Private
3:00pm Public
Protecting human rights in care settings - Oral evidence 18 May 2022
3:00pm
  • Gillian Keegan (Minister of State for Care at Department of Health and Social Care)
  • Michelle Dyson (Director General for Adult Social Care at Department of Health and Social Care)
  • Lyn Romeo (Chief Social Worker for Adults at Department of Health and Social Care)
Room 16, Palace of Westminster
Wednesday 23 March 2022
2:45pm Private
3:00pm Public
Protecting human rights in care settings - Oral evidence 23 March 2022
3:00pm
  • Tom Cahill (National Director for Learning Disability and Autism at National Health Service)
  • Aidan Fowler (National Director for Patient Safety at National Health Service)
  • Roger Banks (National Clinical Director for Learning Disability and Autism at National Health Service)
3:45pm
  • Michael King (Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman and Chair of the Commission at Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGSCO))
  • Kate Terroni (Chief Inspector of Adult Social Care at Care Quality Commission (CQC))
  • Jemima Burnage (Deputy Chief Inspector of Hospitals - Mental Health at Care Quality Commission (CQC))
Room 16, Palace of Westminster
Wednesday 9 March 2022
2:40pm Private
3:00pm Public
Protecting human rights in care settings - Oral evidence 9 March 2022
3:00pm
  • Professor Wayne Martin (Principal Investigator at The Essex Autonomy Project, University of Essex)
  • Sanchita Hosali (CEO at British Institute of Human Rights)
  • Kari Gerstheimer (Founder and CEO at Access Social Care)
3:45pm
  • Professor Vic Rayner OBE (CEO at National Care Forum)
  • Nadra Ahmed OBE (Chairman at National Care Association)
Room 16, Palace of Westminster
Wednesday 23 February 2022
2:40pm Private
3:00pm Public
Protecting human rights in care settings - Oral evidence 23 February 2022
3:00pm
  • Dan Scorer (Head of Policy and Public Affairs at Mencap)
  • Sam Cox (Knowledge Officer (Legal and Welfare Rights) at Alzheimer’s Society)
3:45pm
  • Dr Lucy Series (Senior Research Fellow and Lecturer in Law at Cardiff University)
  • Richard Charlton (Director at Richard Charlton Solicitors)
  • Judy Laing (Professor of Mental Health Law & Policy at University of Bristol’s Human Rights Implementation Centre)
Room 16, Palace of Westminster

Contact us

We receive a significant number of emails each day. All requests and invitations are considered but we do not respond directly to everyone. Please be aware, the committee does not look at individual cases or specific complaints.

  • Email: jchr@parliament.uk
  • Address: Joint Committee on Human Rights, Houses of Parliament. London. SW1A 0AA