CARE HOMES FAILING ON STAFFING LEVELS
Elderly are in peril as quality checks reveal new crisis
THOUSANDS of care home residents are being put at risk because of chronic staff shortages, a Sunday Mirror investigation has found.
Of 231 inspections published by the Care Quality Commission in the last month, less than half were rated “good”.
Of 38 branded “inadequate”, 29 were criticised over staffing levels. Helen Wildbore, of the Relatives & Residents Association, said: “A perfect storm is brewing which is putting older people’s safety, dignity and other rights at risk.”
Jayne Connery, of Care Campaign For The Vulnerable, added: “Safety of residents is being compromised because of crippling inadequate staffing levels and providers relying on agency workers not familiar with residents’ care needs.”
Staff vacancy rates rose from 6% in April to 10.2% in September. Some homes have had to close.
A CQC spokesman said: “We are concerned. We’re seeing rising vacancy rates, some providers having to hand back their registrations and examples of quality suffering. If new Government
funding is to have an impact, it needs to develop ways of working across all care settings. And staff need to be supported and rewarded.”
The CQC’s reports reveal a nationwide problem. In Scunthorpe, Lincs, Cherry Tree House went into special measures because overworked staff had difficulty keeping residents safe.
A report found workers regularly went without breaks. One said: “I left in will be satisfactory soon. But you cannot magic staff out of nowhere.”
At Melbourne House, in Coventry, inspectors said so many workers had left that it was reliant on temps.
Sun Rise home in Kettering, Northants, failed to have a full rota for 27 out of 31 days. At Hollies care home in Accrington, Lancs, staffing levels “were not always sufficient” to meet needs.
And staff at The Grange in Wickford, Essex, told inspectors: “There aren’t E C A R
enough of us. Carers are making all H E the beds, the breakfasts as well
as getting everyone up. We T C
only get one-and-a-half hours P R
to do this.” tears after my shift. O I
Owner Runwood Homes T S
We don’t have time to said it is addressing issues.
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Jeremy Davies, vacancies even before 60,000 director of home owner were given notice for refusing to ADL Ltd, said: “It’s very difficult have Covid vaccinations. The to get staff – exacerbated by the fact Mirror’s Stop The Care Crisis campaign everyone has to be double jabbed.We’ve calls for a pay review, a care register in 21 homes, have had ads running since England, easier access for migrant staff March and virtually no response. We’ve and paid travel time on home visits. a crack team in at Cherry Tree and it