R&RA in the media
Judy Downey, speaks to BBC Radio London about Merok Park Care Home and the need to implement proper strategies to protect residents when failing care homes face closure
Read more here

Too many care homes are not safe enough
This ‘Safeguarding Adults Annual Report’ for 2013-2014’* report provides us with worrying reading.  It analyses the safeguarding allegations made to all English councils.  There were c 100,000 referrals** in the period.  These are made where a concern is raised about a risk of abuse and instigates an investigation. 
The following categories were analysed: neglect and acts of omission;  physical; financial; psychological; sexual and institutional risks.
 

• 60% of referrals related to women and 40% to men
• those aged 75 to 84 were three times more likely to have a referral made than the national average, with those over 85 are ten times more likely
• it highlighted the particular vulnerability of older people living in care homes
• those living in care homes made up 36% of all referrals, despite being very small percentage of the population
• the most common reason for all referrals was ‘neglect or acts of omission’ (30%) closely followed by ‘physical’ (28%)

Although 43% of all referrals where found to be substantiated or partially substantiated, with a further 22% found to be inconclusive, these are concerning statistics. Clearly those with dementia or who lack capacity will often be unable to substantiate or articulate their concerns.The report highlights the need for stronger protection of our older population, and with such a high percentage relating to ‘neglect or acts of omission’ in care homes, better support and training must be a priority for staff as well as more effective regulation to help drive improvement in care homes.

* published by the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSIC), October 2014.
**NB this is now collected in a new format which is not comparable with the former Abuse of Vulnerable Adults (AVA) return e.g an individual with multiple referrals Is only counted once.
Read the full report here

The state of care homes
CQC has recently published their annual report, The State of Health Care and Adult Social Care in England. It emphasises the direct link between good performance and good management and the importance of trained and able staff who are properly valued and supported.
Their figures once again show that nursing homes lag behind all other types of social care, including residential care homes in meeting the required standards. 
One in five (20%) nursing homes and one in ten (10%) residential care homes failed to meet staffing standards. This means that they did not have enough staff, training, supervision or support and sometimes all of these. When care homes have no manager or are without one for six months or more – a breach of the regulations – this figure rises to a worrying one-third of all homes.
Without stable and confident management, staff must cope without the support and supervision they need to carry out the difficult and demanding work they do.
R&RA would welcome CQC’s greater focus on this important topic and hopes they will place greater emphasis on enforcement action to ensure strong leadership and effective staff are in place to protect and care well for residents.
Read the full report here