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Care Quality Commission https://www.buckinghamshirelive.com/news/buckinghamshire-news/inadequate-bourne-end-care-home-7754372
It is with genuine sadness that CCFTV pens this article, as we really did have high hopes that following the introduction of a new management team some years ago, the regulator would finally implement processes and initiatives that would deal with many of the issues in the sector. Regrettably, that has not been the case as the recent spate of abuse exposes have confirmed. Instead, we are imminently to be treated to yet another CQC announcement around ‘changes to the operational teams.
Undoubtedly this will be well meaning and analytically thought out, but as usual it will likely end yet again in failure. CQC is a reactive regulator, one that on many occasions should have been embarrassed when having to ‘suspend ratings’ for care facilities that actually turned out to have ingrained abuse cultures or serious underlying care issues. This, despite those facilities have previously been inspected and given a ‘Good’ rating.
CCFTV has also talked with enough providers to know that the CQC approach nationally is massively inconsistent and only as good as the weakest inspector. Some providers with multiple sites have reported different ratings for the same reviewed elements of a service. This inconsistency is based on the approach of an individual inspector. Indeed, many of those inspectors have limited health and social care experience yet have the ability to enforce/not enforce if they see fit.
Sadly, the vast majority of families I represent do not have any confidence in CQC stating they don’t believe CQC want to - or will ever be able to - get a firm grip of repeated failings in care homes. CCFTV can point to sites with a slew of failings, yet they are still trading, and vulnerable people remain at risk. Such facilities operate across both the independent and public sectors.
Each and every time a serious abuse issue surfaces, it is via a ‘hidden camera’ source and usually placed by the family of a loved one because they had got to a point where they felt they had no other choice. On those occasions, CQC were as usual, apparently caught by surprise. This despite the fact that CCFTV has been consistently stating that as bad behaving staff are not going to whistle blow on themselves, overt camera technology, is the only single thing that will address these abuse patterns. Cameras create visual evidence around any incident, provide a deterrent for abusers and allow for remote audit of any service at any time of day. Whilst CQC has provided some guidelines for providers who wish to use CCTV in care homes, it leaves that decision to those owners. Rather like a turkey voting for Christmas.
CCFTV knows that abuse and poor care will stop when CCTV is adopted on a mandatory basis. Providers should be required to install systems that allow for independent oversight of their service. CQC’s fixation on box ticking and paperwork means that a two-day inspection every two years focusses little on the practical delivery of care on a consistent day in day out basis. Camera technology allows for random audit day or night, every week if desired. It accesses care delivery at 3am when no one is around to witness care, it explains any fall or injury, it enables all family members to know for sure what has happened to a loved one.
CQC could make this happen. But they choose not to. As a result, vulnerable people will continue to be abused and nothing will really change. CQC‘s lack of desire to initiate real and lasting change by implementing the use of such technologies is just ‘walking on by’.