Zero tolerance on poor elderly care

A new report from the Quality Care Commission found many providers of home care to old people were delivering a very good service. Overall, 74% (184 out of 250) of services met all the five standards.

However, the CQC raised concerns relating to safeguarding people who use services from abuse related to failures to report safeguarding concerns in line with local policy, out-of-date procedures and staff not understanding safeguarding or whistleblowing procedures.

It also said some staff feel unsupported by their management teams and are not always being able to deliver care in the right way because they are too rushed, with no travel time and unscheduled visits added to their day.

Age UK said these problems “cannot be tackled with window dressing and tick box exercises”.

“We need to work hard at every level to get to the heart of these issues and drive real change,” said Michelle Mitchell, Charity Director General at Age UK.

“The social care system must provide a sustainable and fair source of funding to ensure that older people are given the care that they desperately need, both now and in the future.”

She added:

“As the report shows there are many providers committed to offering the best care possible, which is very welcome news. Excellent, compassionate, dignified care must be the bedrock on which everything rests.

“All training, commissioning and day to day decisions around an individual’s care should always come back to providing that person with the same standard of care that we would want to see given to our loved ones.

“However, funding pressures are resulting in many committed care workers becoming over stretched, with staff forced to choose between rushed visits or leaving early without being able to finish tasks, which can have a devastating effect on older people who rely on these services.”