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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 Tuesday 2 November 2021.

Reports, special reports and government responses

View all reports and responses
Fourth Report - Protecting human rights in care settings
Inquiry Protecting human rights in care settings
HC 216 / HL 51
Report
Response to this report
Third Special Report - Protecting Human Rights in Care Settings: Government Response to the Committee’s Fourth Report
HC 216
Special Report
Third Special Report - Protecting Human Rights in Care Settings: Government Response to the Committee’s Fourth Report
Inquiry Protecting human rights in care settings
HC 216
Special Report
Easy Read - Fourth Report - Protecting human rights in care settings
Inquiry Protecting human rights in care settings
HC 216
Report
Correspondence to the Minister of State for Social Care in the UK relating to LPS implementation, dated 26th May 2023
Inquiry Protecting human rights in care settings
Correspondence
Correspondence from Minister of State for Care relating to the implementation of the Liberty Protection Safeguards, dated 5th April
Inquiry Protecting human rights in care settings
Correspondence
Correspondence from the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman relating to its Focus Report on Equal Justice, dated 29 November
Inquiry Protecting human rights in care settings
Correspondence

Oral evidence transcripts

View all oral evidence transcripts
18 May 2022
Inquiry Protecting human rights in care settings
Witnesses 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), and Lyn Romeo (Chief Social Worker for Adults at Department of Health and Social Care)
Oral Evidence
23 March 2022
Inquiry Protecting human rights in care settings
Witnesses Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGSCO), Care Quality Commission (CQC), and Care Quality Commission (CQC)
Oral Evidence
23 March 2022
Inquiry Protecting human rights in care settings
Witnesses National Health Service, National Health Service, and National Health Service
Oral Evidence
Margaret Flynn, Safeguarding expert (HCS0053)
Anonymised (HCS0058)
Anonymised (HCS0060)

Other publications

No other publications published.

Contact us

The Committee is unable to look into individual cases

  • Email: jchr@parliament.uk
  • Phone: 0207 219 2793 (general enquiries) | 020 7219 8430 (media enquiries)
  • Address: Joint Committee on Human Rights, Houses of Parliament. London. SW1A 0AA