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AUTUMN 2015
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REGULAR FEATURES
INSIDE
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ISSUE
Issue 30
FEATURE
Uniforms & Accessible Technology Energy Bathing Dysphagia & Software Solutions Fire Safety Workwear Page 22
Pages 24-25
Pages 26-27
Pages 28-29
Page 30
Page 31
Hygiene & Laundry Infection Solutions Control Page 32
Page 33
Editor's Viewpoint Furniture & Fittings
PAGE 2 34-39
Dementia Care & Training 40-42 Property, Finance
43-46
& Professional
Most People Are Receiving Good Care – But Challenges Ahead Say CQC The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has published its annual analysis of the quality of health and adult social care in england. This is the first time such a national assessment has been possible following CQC’s introduction of a tough, rigorous ratings system. Key findings include: • Despite increasingly challenging circumstances, the majority of services across health and social care have been rated as good, with some rated outstanding. • However, there is significant variation in quality – and safety continues to be the biggest concern across all the sectors that CQC regulates. • Strong leadership and collaboration is emerging as more crucial than ever to delivering good care. • Evidence increasingly shows that CQC’s work is leading to improvements in care. The number of services rated as either good or outstanding by CQC suggests most people are receiving safe, effective care. Although CQC has not finished inspecting all providers, the ratings published up until the end of May 2015 show more than 80% of GP practices are rated either good or outstanding; in adult social care, nearly six out of ten services are rated good or outstanding; and 38% of hospitals and trusts, including mental health, have been rated good or outstanding. Inspections have, according to the report identified strong leadership as a crucial factor among those providers rated as either good or outstanding. More than nine out of 10 (94%) of the services we have rated as good or outstanding overall are also rated as good or outstanding for their leadership. Similarly over eight out of ten (84%) of the services we have rated as inadequate overall were rated inadequate for leadership. However, alongside these encouraging findings, there remains an unacceptable level of poor care, with 7% of providers of acute, primary medical and adult social care in England rated as inadequate. Safety continues to be the biggest concern across all of the services inspected, with over one in 10 hospitals (13%) and a similar proportion of adult social care providers (10%) as inadequate for safety. In primary medical services, 6% of those we rated were inadequate for safety. Commenting on the findings, Chief Executive of the Care Quality Commission David Behan, said: “The health and social care sector is facing an unprecedented level of challenge – so it’s encouraging that our findings show that the majority of people are receiving good or outstanding care. We have found dedicated staff working hard to treat people with care, compassion and dignity. “However, we have also found a wide variation in the quality of care people receive. Alongside good care we have seen examples of poor and unacceptable care and we
rated 7% of care as inadequate. A key concern has been the safety of the care – a failure to learn when things go wrong, or not having the right number of staff in place with the right skills. “Where people are not receiving the quality of care they deserve, we will demand action – and we are now able to demonstrate that half of services have improved following re-inspection. Some services may need further support to improve, and we will continue to work with partners to ensure this happens. “The variation in care that we have observed is not just about the money. Good leaders are what make the difference – leaders who engage staff and people who use services and create a culture of continuous quality improvement. Leaders who have a broader vision than the delivery of care within their own organisations, but who work collaboratively with partners to innovate and transform services. What is very clear is that isolated working and incremental changes are not going to be enough to meet the challenges ahead. “CQC’s role is to support innovation, share information that can help leaders to better understand the quality of care that their organisation provides and to benchmark against others and to celebrate great care and great leadership. It is also to highlight poor care and poor leadership where we find it, to demand improvement and to take action to ensure that people receive safe, high quality care.” In response to the report a coalition of more than 80 of the country’s leading charities warned that the results of the report is further evidence of a crisis in social care. The Care and Support Alliance (CSA) believe that this an inevitable result of year on year cuts in social care, which has led to chronic underfunding in the area. Councils have been forced to reduce what they pay to care providers and this has a direct impact on services. Councils in England report that around £4.6bn has been taken out of the social care system since 2010. The CSA is clear that without additional funding social care will get worse. Further providers will exit the market and soon people may find there is no care available of any quality. Chair of the Care and Support Alliance, Vicky McDermott, said: “Over 40% of providers are delivering a poor standard of care and support, which is impacting on the lives of hundreds and thousands of older and disabled people who need support just to do the basics – like getting up or out of the house. We need the Government to make a significant investment in social care at the Spending Review next month. The Chancellor should use that opportunity to address the chronic underfunding in care. Doing nothing is simply not an option if this country is to honour its obligations to older and disabled people, and their carers.”