CQC publishes 10 reports following review of services for individuals with learning disabilities

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) today publishes ten reports from a targeted programme of 150 unannounced inspections of hospitals and care homes that care for people with learning disabilities. The first five reports were published in December.

The programme is looking at whether people experience safe and appropriate care, treatment and support and whether they are protected from abuse. A national report into the findings of the programme will be published in the Spring.

The ten inspections were of hospitals that provide assessment and treatment services.

Inspections were focused on two outcomes relating to the government’s essential standards of quality and safety: the care and welfare of people who use services, and safeguarding people who use services from abuse. Of the ten locations inspected:

• four locations were compliant with both outcomes (although two have been told to make improvements to make sure they continue to comply)
• two locations had moderate concerns with both outcomes
• no major concerns were found at any of the locations.

Specifically, in relation to the care and welfare of people who use services, four locations were compliant, one had minor concerns and five had moderate concerns.

In relation to safeguarding, eight locations were compliant and two had moderate concerns.

CQC inspectors were joined by ‘experts by experience’ – people who have first hand experience of care or as a family carer and who can provide the patient or carer perspective as well as professional experts in our learning disability inspections.

Where inspectors identified concerns, they raised these immediately with the providers and managers of services.

All the services where concerns are identified must tell the CQC how and when they will improve. Those failing to meet essential standards could face enforcement action by the regulator if improvements are not made.

The national report will be based on the findings from all the 150 inspections and will make conclusions about the overall state of this type of service.

For more information head to cqc.org.uk!