There are “significant differences in the quality of adult social care that people receive in England”, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) has found.
The State of Care report for 2013/14, which also considers healthcare, found that: “This variation in the quality and safety of care in England is too wide and unacceptable. The public is being failed by the numerous hospitals, care homes and GP practices that are unable to meet the standards that their peers achieve and exceed.”
The report includes the case study of an East Anglia care home specialising in dementia, where residents were left lying in wet beds and staff did not respond to calls for help.
The report notes that people in nursing homes received worse care than those in residential care homes. It states: “These differences have not changed over the last three years and are a continuing concern.”
Smaller care homes did better than larger providers, with 92% of small homes complying with the quality standards for safeguarding and safety, compared with 86% of medium homes and 80% of large homes. Small care homes are those with between one and 10 beds; medium have between 11 and 50 beds, and large have more than 50. Smaller homes were more likely to meet all of the quality standards set by the CQC.
We’ve put together a compilation of responses from across the sector. To contribute to the debate, comment below or tweet us @GdnSocialCare – we’ll put the best responses above the line.
Caroline Abrahams, charity director at Age UK: “We welcome the fact that the report shows that care in some areas has improved and that the CQC is committed to improving services. However, let’s not mince words about what some of the findings show – leaving someone in soiled beds or clothing for a long time or failing to ensure that an older person is able to eat or drink is neglect and should be treated as such.
Providing care for older people must not be about completing tasks in whatever is the quickest or cheapest way. Decent care is about looking after a fellow human being in the way that we would like to be cared for when we are older.”
Janet Morrison, chief executive of Independent Age: “The CQC report rightly highlights the wide variance in the quality of care homes, often even within a single geographical area. While it is right to call on people to become more active ‘consumers’, in reality – as the CQC itself acknowledges – most decisions about care are made at a time of crisis and with little opportunity to test the market for the best possible care. The CQC must maintain a focus on driving out the very worst examples of care – the abuse and neglect we see on our TV sets and in our newspapers – so that people can be sure that all care is safe and protects dignity.”
Jane Harris, campaigns director at Leonard Cheshire: “The Care Quality Commission is right to highlight how much care varies around the country. People should expect basic standards of care wherever they live and no-one should suffer the indignity of 15-minute care visits. Every day, thousands of disabled and older people are being forced to choose between having a cup of tea and going to the toilet. Some good councils have taken the right step and reviewed the number of 15-minute visits they buy. But councils across the country need to follow their lead so we can have a care system that is fair to all.”
Sharon Allen, CEO of Skills for Care and National Skills Academy: “We welcome this report that rightly shines a spotlight on services that are not delivering quality care and support, but also acknowledges the key role played by highly motivated, well-trained frontline workers.
CQC is urging health and care systems to respond to the needs of people who access care and support services and there is no doubt that a skilled and knowledgeable workforce with leaders at every level is central to that agenda.”
Dr Katherine Rake, chief executive of Healthwatch England: “The variability in care across the country is simply unacceptable. We wholeheartedly support the CQC’s challenge to sub-standard parts of the system to improve and ensure everyone has access to high quality, safe and dignified support. We welcome CQC’s commitment to empower the public through its new ratings system, and we look forward to working with them to arm patients with the information they need to make decisions about their care and force failing providers to buck their ideas up.”
Local Government Association spokesman: “Councils work closely with local care providers to try to continuously improve services for people who rely on care and their carers.
“We know that more still needs to be done. We want all people who need care and support to have access to the best quality, safe services whether they are in a care home or a hospital so they can return home sooner and live safely in the community for longer. To do this, councils and health partners need to work with providers to ensure that well supported and trained staff are working to put people at the centre of decisions about their needs and support.
“In the period of the current parliament, local government funding has been cut by 40% and councils will have to have made £20bn of savings. As a result, councils have had to reduce adult social care budgets by more than £3.5bn since 2010. So far, services have been protected as much as possible, but this is becoming an increasing challenge for councils in the face of growing cuts.”
We’ve put together a compilation of responses from across the sector. To contribute to the debate, comment below or tweet us @GdnSocialCare – we’ll put the best responses above the line.
Caroline Abrahams, charity director at Age UK: “We welcome the fact that the report shows that care in some areas has improved and that the CQC is committed to improving services. However, let’s not mince words about what some of the findings show – leaving someone in soiled beds or clothing for a long time or failing to ensure that an older person is able to eat or drink is neglect and should be treated as such.
Providing care for older people must not be about completing tasks in whatever is the quickest or cheapest way. Decent care is about looking after a fellow human being in the way that we would like to be cared for when we are older.”
Janet Morrison, chief executive of Independent Age: “The CQC report rightly highlights the wide variance in the quality of care homes, often even within a single geographical area. While it is right to call on people to become more active ‘consumers’, in reality – as the CQC itself acknowledges – most decisions about care are made at a time of crisis and with little opportunity to test the market for the best possible care. The CQC must maintain a focus on driving out the very worst examples of care – the abuse and neglect we see on our TV sets and in our newspapers – so that people can be sure that all care is safe and protects dignity.”
Jane Harris, campaigns director at Leonard Cheshire: “The Care Quality Commission is right to highlight how much care varies around the country. People should expect basic standards of care wherever they live and no-one should suffer the indignity of 15-minute care visits. Every day, thousands of disabled and older people are being forced to choose between having a cup of tea and going to the toilet. Some good councils have taken the right step and reviewed the number of 15-minute visits they buy. But councils across the country need to follow their lead so we can have a care system that is fair to all.”
Sharon Allen, CEO of Skills for Care and National Skills Academy: “We welcome this report that rightly shines a spotlight on services that are not delivering quality care and support, but also acknowledges the key role played by highly motivated, well-trained frontline workers.
CQC is urging health and care systems to respond to the needs of people who access care and support services and there is no doubt that a skilled and knowledgeable workforce with leaders at every level is central to that agenda.”
Dr Katherine Rake, chief executive of Healthwatch England: “The variability in care across the country is simply unacceptable. We wholeheartedly support the CQC’s challenge to sub-standard parts of the system to improve and ensure everyone has access to high quality, safe and dignified support. We welcome CQC’s commitment to empower the public through its new ratings system, and we look forward to working with them to arm patients with the information they need to make decisions about their care and force failing providers to buck their ideas up.”
Local Government Association spokesman: “Councils work closely with local care providers to try to continuously improve services for people who rely on care and their carers.
“We know that more still needs to be done. We want all people who need care and support to have access to the best quality, safe services whether they are in a care home or a hospital so they can return home sooner and live safely in the community for longer. To do this, councils and health partners need to work with providers to ensure that well supported and trained staff are working to put people at the centre of decisions about their needs and support.
“In the period of the current parliament, local government funding has been cut by 40% and councils will have to have made £20bn of savings. As a result, councils have had to reduce adult social care budgets by more than £3.5bn since 2010. So far, services have been protected as much as possible, but this is becoming an increasing challenge for councils in the face of growing cuts.”
Source Guardian http://www.theguardian.com/social-care-network/2014/oct/17/care-quality-commission-annual-report-responses-social-care
Care Quality Commission annual report: responses from the social care sector
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