Loophole closed

The government’s pledge to ensure the Human Rights Act 1998 (HRA 1998) covers residents of private care homes has been applauded by campaigners. The human right loophole was exposed last year when the House of Lords ruled in the YL case that HRA 1998 does not apply to private and voluntary sector care homes providing services under contract to local authorities. But ministers have promised to seek to amend the Health and Social Care Bill, currently going through Parliament, to reverse the ruling.