Most Care Homes Work To High Standards – Providers Respond To Panorama

Representatives from around the care industry and written a letter to the Guardian newspaper in response to the BBC had Panorama programme on alleged abuse in care homes:

Letter to The Guardian, Wednesday 30 April 2014

We represent organisations and individuals involved on a daily basis in the provision of residential care for older people (Report, 28 April). We are horrified at the revelations in the BBC Panorama programme of the abusive behaviour shown by staff at the Old Deanery towards the older residents in their charge. There is never any excuse for abuse or poor practice and it is a wake-up call for all those involved in delivering care, from commissioners to regulators to providers, to work together to ensure services are of a consistently high quality.

However, this should not be used as a reason to condemn the whole of the care sector. The vast majority of residential care providers provide good, if not excellent care. This is borne out by sector reports, including those of the Alzheimer’s Society, as well as by the findings of the Care Quality Commission. The CQC itself is putting into place a robust inspection process that will focus on the quality of care provided, and that will be evidenced in the good leadership so clearly lacking in the Old Deanery.

The Panorama programme will cause understandable anxiety to the relatives of people who are receiving care and support, and to others considering care options for their families. And there will be many private and not-for-profit care providers who do provide high-quality services who will be concerned because they will be unfairly grouped in the public mind as not meeting high-quality standards.

Our organisations collectively represent thousands of members across the country who are private and independent care providers and who consistently deliver excellent residential care. There are many others out there that do the same. The difference they make to the lives of vulnerable older people should be acknowledged. We are committed to championing the excellent care they provide and to use this as a driver so that excellence becomes the default standard in social care.

Professor Martin Green Chief executive, Care England, Des Kelly Executive director, National Care Forum, Sheila Scott Chief executive, National Care Association, Debbie Sorkin Chief executive, National Skills Academy for Social Care