New rules for care homes have been labelled "the psychological final straw" for an industry already suffering from high costs and low morale .

Paul Burstow, the Lib Dem spokesman for older people, said that the National Care Standards Commission (NCSC), which started work on Monday, could also lead to widespread confusion at homes and other parts of the care industry.

Forum Response: Help the Aged

A spokesman for Help the Aged told ePolitix.com: "The minimum standards recommended by the NCSC are a welcome indication of how people can expect to be treated while in care.

"However, insufficient local authority fee levels, combined with high staff vacancy and turnover rates, are threatening the government's own targets for quality standards in residential care.

"The funding must be made available to ensure that these new standards can be applied without placing an intolerable burden on an already fragile sector."