The Care Quality Commission, the regulator for health and social care, set out very clearly what they expect from a good care home.
On 10 August 2017, a new report was published by Healthwatch, a consumer champion for the health and social care sector.
The report highlights the striking variation in care homes across the country. Healthwatch staff and volunteers across England visited 197 care homes in 63 different local authority areas to record the experiences of those living in care homes. Environment, activities, staffing and wider health needs were among the topics they asked residents. Despite largely positive feedback, Healthwatch visitors witnessed homes not getting the basics right. Even those providing excellent care failed to tick all the boxes. The report also highlights a widespread lack of access to GPs and dentists for care home residents and raised particular concerns regarding the suitability of some care homes for residents with Alzheimer's.
Jeremy Hughes, Chief Executive Officer at Alzheimer’s Society, said:
“Sadly, I’m not at all surprised by these findings. They testify to the existing issues with staff training across the sector, and echo what our investigation last year found – that one in three home-care workers had received absolutely no dementia training, resulting in people with dementia left in soiled sheets, and becoming ill after eating out-of-date food.”
The report by Healthwatch comes four weeks after the Care Quality Commission, the agency responsible for regulating the care homes, revealed that one in four social care facilities were unsafe.
Imelda Redmond, national director of Healthwatch England, said:
“Care homes were grappling with rising demand and stretched resources”, but added, “ Getting the basics right doesn’t cost the earth and should be the least we should all be able to expect for our loved ones, and ourselves should we need care support.”
We welcome the report by Healthwatch England and hope to see further recommendations designed to help our older, vulnerable people, to gain access to appropriate care.
At Anthony Collins Solicitors, we believe in vulnerable people receiving the high-quality care and support they deserve. We represent clients who have suffered injury, or whose health has deteriorated due to the negligence of the healthcare professionals involved in their care and treatment. Claims can arise because of prescription errors, not taking steps to reduce the risk of falls, allowing pressure sores to develop, not providing adequate support with eating and drinking and other failings.
We have experience in securing compensation for many people who have received poor treatment in nursing, care and residential homes where standards have been unacceptable. We have also successfully pursued claims against local authorities, healthcare trusts and private care providers where the services provided by them were inadequate. When representing clients, we often seek compensation to fund private medical care and so that our clients can afford the best quality care in the future.
For more information regarding cases arising from abuse, please contact Stephanie Moustache or David Evison, who will be happy to speak with you on an initial free, no-obligation basis.
On 23 July, trainees from Anthony Collins Solicitors will host an ‘experience day’, which will involve various activities and presentations, with lawyers and non-lawyers from across the firm.
In the second part of our series on contract management pitfalls, we look at the risks and opportunities presented by payment mechanisms in construction contracts.
Under most construction contracts, the contractor takes on the ground conditions risk. However, a recent case has demonstrated that the risk can fall on the employer.
The UK Government has been consulting on how it should promote social value in its procurements. Here is our response that we submitted to the consultation...
The Tenant Fees Act 2019 came into force on 1 June 2019.
A recent case in the Court of Appeal will no doubt bring a sigh of relief for employers, but a corresponding sigh of disappointment may be uttered for equality and gender balance in the workplace.
This briefing assists response to the consultation paper by outlining the consultation questions, providing some background information and prompting some thoughts and potential answers.
A report published on 29 May by the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) has found that since 2009-10, local government spending on services has fallen on average by 21% in real terms.
A long-awaited decision of the Court of Appeal has clarified that a lower standard of proof should apply than previously thought before an Inquest can return a conclusion of suicide.
New regulations come into force on 1 June 2019, amending the Section 21 (s21) prescribed form template for use with assured shorthold tenancies.
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