A quarter of home-care services provided to the elderly in England are failing to meet quality and safety standards, inspectors say. The Care Quality Commission found evidence of rushed appointments and incorrect assessments during its review of 250 services. Campaigners have said it is a sign of how much pressure the system is under.
More than 700,000 people over the age of 65 rely on home help for activities such as washing, dressing and eating.
On Monday, ministers announced plans for a £75,000 cap on the amount the elderly will have to pay for social care in England, only the poorest get it free.The proposal aims to stop the elderly having to sell their homes to pay for care.
But the move will do nothing to get extra money into the system, something the sector believes is vital if the quality of services is going to be improved.
This review looked at the support being provided to self-funders and those who get council-funded care, it found too many were struggling to maintain standards.
One of the most common issues identified related to late, rushed or missed visits. The regulator also highlighted assessments that had missed vital information, such as a diagnosis of diabetes, and care records that were incomplete, meaning problems such as pressure ulcers could be missed by carers. Concerns were also raised about the way services were monitored and complaints handled.
The CQC said home care providers, many of which are private companies, needed to work closely with local authorities to remedy the problems. It warned the problems identified could have a "significant impact" on the elderly, many of whom did not complain because of a fear of reprisals or loyalty to their carer.
Source: BBC News
Image: Akash_Kurdekar, Flickr
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