Sir, – Fintan O’Toole highlights the link between the “blind search for profits” and poor standards of social care (Opinion, August 14th). It is entirely inappropriate that profit-driven individuals and syndicates should have a prominent role in the provision of social care. It is unfortunate that the country is cash-strapped and broke, and that current and previous governments have encouraged an agenda of reducing State involvement in the provision of elderly residential care.
The successful model of social housing provision through voluntary housing associations and bodies such as our own should be replicated, resourced and organised to provide social and residential care for all vulnerable groups.
Only appropriately registered, licensed, funded and audited organisations with a strong welfare ethos and social conscience at their core should be allowed to provide care.
Provision of safe and effective high quality social care is more than the provision of bricks and mortar and a greater challenge than even our successful voluntary housing bodies have had to face, but it should be achievable in a regulated voluntary framework. – Yours, etc,