29.09.2014
She said the organisation had uncovered some “truly awful” failings in the care provided to elderly residents at a number of care homes in England. Speaking to the Telegraph, she said attitudes towards the care of the elderly need to change to ensure older people are treated with kindness and dignity.
Her comments came as the CQC announced changes in the way it inspects care homes in England. The new inspection method will use larger and more specialist teams of inspectors, including leading experts and members of the public with experience of hospital care.
The regulator will also ask residents and their loved ones about the care they have received or witnessed and to share their experiences with inspectors, as well as coming forward to raise the alarm over poor standards of care.
Following the new style of inspection, the CQC will rate the services as Outstanding, Good, Requires Improvement and Inadequate, which will enable the public to make informed choices about their care, or the care of loved ones.
Ms Sutcliffe said inspectors will assess the homes with the “mum test” in mind – whether they think the standard of care is good enough for their own loved ones to live there.
New Ofsted-Style Ratings Will Be Introduced For Care Homes
The chief inspector of social care at the Care Quality Commission (CQC), Andrea Sutcliffe, has said standards in care homes are falling due to a “shocking lack of respect for the elderly”.She said the organisation had uncovered some “truly awful” failings in the care provided to elderly residents at a number of care homes in England. Speaking to the Telegraph, she said attitudes towards the care of the elderly need to change to ensure older people are treated with kindness and dignity.
Her comments came as the CQC announced changes in the way it inspects care homes in England. The new inspection method will use larger and more specialist teams of inspectors, including leading experts and members of the public with experience of hospital care.
The regulator will also ask residents and their loved ones about the care they have received or witnessed and to share their experiences with inspectors, as well as coming forward to raise the alarm over poor standards of care.
Following the new style of inspection, the CQC will rate the services as Outstanding, Good, Requires Improvement and Inadequate, which will enable the public to make informed choices about their care, or the care of loved ones.
Ms Sutcliffe said inspectors will assess the homes with the “mum test” in mind – whether they think the standard of care is good enough for their own loved ones to live there.
Expert Opinion
In our work we have seen the neglect, abuse and lack of respect suffered by elderly people in some care homes around England. Therefore, we welcome the decision from the CQC to alter the way it inspects these facilities, in a bid to improve standards and ensure the NHS and private companies are held to account for serious failings. <br/> <br/>“The introduction of an Ofsted-style of inspection and the encouragement of further feedback from residents and their families was borne out of the frustrations of the families of residents who were neglected at the Orchid View Care Home. <br/> <br/>“It is vital the steps they highlighted, which will now become an integral part of the CQC inspection process, help to establish a culture of respect in the care home industry and that elderly people are treated with dignity and kindness. <br/> <br/>“Respect for vulnerable people and respect for the CQC will help to prevent poor care from occurring in the first place, rather than waiting for it to happen before action is taken.”
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