Tens of thousands of Britain’s most vulnerable people are at risk from “poor or unsafe care”, with one in five care homes failing to ensure residents eat properly, the government’s watchdog said Friday.
Health and social care regulator the Care Quality Commission (CQC) said that standards of care in a large number of nursing and residential homes and NHS hospitals were deteriorating.
The report — based on evidence from 13,000 CQC inspections — said that 20 percent of 1,362 nursing homes and residential care homes, and 15 percent of 258 NHS hospitals, failed to ensure people in their care were given the food and drink they needed or helped to eat and drink.
Inspectors said one in ten of the hospitals did not meet basic respect and dignity standards, as services face pressure from an ageing population and rising tide of people suffering complex conditions.
The report comes after the jailing of 11 care workers last month for neglect and abuse at the Winterbourne View residential care home for adults with severe learning disabilities.
An expose from BBC One’s Panorama TV programme showed patients at the home near Bristol being slapped and restrained under chairs, having their hair pulled and being held down as medication was forced into their mouths.
Dr Andrew McCulloch, chief executive of charity the Mental Health Foundation, said the report highlighted that vulnerable patients are facing unacceptable risks.
“Unless action is taken, further scandals will be inevitable,” he said.
CQC’s “State of Care” report also flagged significant staffing problems with 23 per cent of the homes and hospitals visited lacking adequate staffing levels.
The report highlights difficulties in ensuring that care workers have sufficient skills to care for people with complex or multiple conditions such as dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said: “There can be no hiding place for those providing poor care or sub-standard practice.”
He said the government was toughening up the inspections regime and putting a “huge investment” into training nurses and care assistants.
David Behan, CQC chief executive, said: “Where we find standards are not being met we require improvements and we will use our enforcement powers where necessary to tackle issues such as staff shortages or the failure of service providers to involve people in decisions about their own care.”
Tens of thousands at risk from 'unsafe' care: watchdog
