[Source: Care Industry News]

The NHS has launched new online information profiles that will help people to choose, compare and comment on care homes and other care services.

The new profiles, part of the NHS Choices website, will create the most definitive online source of information on care services, including:

• essential information from every registered care provider, including detail on services provided
• official reports from Care Quality Commission inspections
• comments from the public on their experience of care and services, including links to existing comment sites
• from next month the ability for the public to give services star ratings
• Ofsted-style ratings for care services as they are developed.

Thousands of organisations who provide care services have started adding information to the website, such as details of what specialised services they provide, staff details, photos of their care homes or menu information; and many more are expected to do so over the coming months.

When fully populated with information from providers and comments from the public, this powerful online resource will give people the ability to search for good quality care that best meets their specific needs and preferences, by letting them compare each provider.

NHS Choices will also feature revamped information that explains the ‘essentials’ of care, such as what people’s entitlements are, how to organise an assessment for care needs, where to go for independent advice, how to go about getting and planning care, and how to pay for it.

For more information, read the article at Care Industry News, 25/4/13