Landlords providing services for older people must develop clearer and more challenging aims, the Audit Commission's new Supporting People inspection coordinator has said.
Domini Gunn-Piem, who took up the post in April, told the Northern Housing Consortium's older people services conference in York that last year's inspections revealed cause for concern.

In particular, she said that some councils were setting achievement targets for their services that were not ambitious or challenging enough.

Gunn-Piem cited insufficiently publicised service standards, inconsistencies in service delivery, a lack of awareness of the needs of black and minority ethnic communities and poor living-space standards. There was also a worrying lack of coordination with initiatives such as Supporting People.

She reminded organisations preparing for inspection that they needed to focus on establishing robust policies and procedures in all areas, including service standards, black and minority ethnic needs, management of empty properties, links with other agencies and targeted training.

Customers must be more meaningfully involved in designing the service and given a real say in the review process, she said.