Herald Express: We must tackle the crisis in our care homes

Last week, when I appeared on the BBC’s Care Gap Exposed, I heard families share testimonies of shocking neglect – stories that expose the systemic failure to protect our most vulnerable.  

These accounts were heartbreaking. We heard of an elderly mother, who had lived a full and happy life, suffering an unwitnessed fatal fall while a staff member was asleep on duty. And of a son with a rare genetic condition, who struggled with swallowing and was tragically found dead with an unwrapped, partially eaten chocolate bar by his bed.  

Hearing these stories, my thoughts went immediately to the devastated loved ones left behind, and to every elderly or disabled person still residing in a care home today. Choosing a care home is never easy; families rely on rigorous research and transparent information to quell their anxieties and ensure quality care.  

But as the BBC investigation uncovered, the publicly available information we rely on is dangerously out of date. The inspection system is failing: over 2,100 care homes in England were rated as “requires improvements” by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) as of last month. Yet, the BBC found that three quarters of these homes have not been reinspected in a year or more.  

Furthermore, a fifth of the 123 homes rated as “inadequate” – the lowest rating –  have not been reinspected within the same time frame. One home given this rating in 2022 had not been inspected since, despite the previous report finding residents were at risk of pressure sores, infections, dehydration and exposure to chemicals.  

As the above hints, the lengthy delays in CQC inspections have long been known. In fact, last October, an independent review of the CQC, conducted by Dr Penny Dash, found multiple failings, including a total collapse in inspection activity with only 6,700 inspections and assessments carried out in 2023, compared with almost 15,800 in 2019.  

The Dash Review made several recommendations to improve the CQC’s performance, and, in turn, social care, such as rapidly improving operational performance and clarifying how ratings are calculated. These recommendations joined a library of others from similar reports commissioned in the last decade.  

The Government had the opportunity last October to get on with the job of implementing the Dash Review and turning the CQC around. Sadly, instead of grasping the nettle, they kicked the can of social care reform down the road and commissioned yet another review, not due to report until 2028.  

How can the Government, after reading this BBC investigation, expect families to wait until 2028 for much-needed reforms to begin? How can they explain to grieving families or loved ones sending vulnerable people into care homes without adequate information that they must wait another three years for things to change?  

The Conservatives promised to “fix” the crisis in our social care system, that no one would have to sell their house to pay for personal care costs, and that they would not raise taxes to do it. They broke all these promises.  

Labour cannot continue the dismal track record of the Conservatives. Recently, the Prime Minister has lamented the number of commissions or quangos, accusing them of adding complication and stymieing change. When it comes to the new Casey Commission on social care, we absolutely agree.  

The Liberal Democrats are calling on the Government to finish this review and implement its changes within a year. The Government must also create a social care workforce plan and introduce a higher Carer’s Minimum Wage to address the shocking staffing problems at care homes.  

The BBC’s investigation is shocking but what is worse is that its findings could be from years ago. Little has improved in so long in social care. The Government has the opportunity now to change the sector’s future. It must do so.