Furious care providers demand that ‘Awol’ watchdog waives fees
CARE providers are calling on the Care Quality Commission to waive registration fees this year, amid accusations the watchdog has “gone Awol” during the coronavirus outbreak. The call came after a leading care home body expressed “disappointment” with the role played by the CQC in the crisis.
The watchdog charges up to £16,096 in annual registration fees depending on the size of homes. But providers are questioning whether they should pay when fewer inspections are being carried out and the watchdog has faced criticism over its response to the crisis.
Last week, Judy Downey, chairman of the Relatives & Residents Association wrote to Ian Trenholm, the CQC’S chief executive, saying there had been a “lack of oversight and scrutiny” since the outbreak, adding that many residents had felt “totally abandoned” when the CQC suspended inspections.
Prof Martin Green, chief executive of Care England, told The Daily Telegraph: “The CQC aren’t carrying out full inspections, so why should providers be paying them for a job they cannot do?”
Nadra Ahmed, chairman of the National Care Association, said: “We have tried to get the CQC to suspend fees, but they have refused point blank. They claim they are still working behind the scenes in the ‘public interest’.”
Accusing the CQC of “failing to engage” over deaths in care homes, she added: “They have been Awol during this period.” From March 2 to May 1, Covid-19 was confirmed or suspected in the deaths of 12,526 people in care homes in England and Wales, according to the Office for National Statistics.
The Government says more than 1.2billion pieces of personal protective equipment have been delivered to care providers in England, but some homes reported receiving just 300 masks.
The Government also faced criticism for advising until March 12 that it remained “very unlikely” people in care homes could be affected, and for allowing hospital patients to be discharged to care homes without being tested.
Meanwhile, the latest data has shown that the Government is considerably short of a target to test every care home patient by “early June”. Just 5 per cent were tested in the last week, down from 6 per cent in the previous period, according to a study of 1,200 homes.
Ian Trenholm, CQC chief executive, said: “We are continuing to inspect in response to whistle-blowing concerns, and where we see evidence of risk of harm, deliberate abuse, systematic neglect or a significant breakdown in leadership.”
A CQC spokesman added: “Where providers are temporarily changing their registration status as part of an emergency response to Covid-19, they will not see an increased fee. If providers receive an invoice with an incorrect fee … we will ensure they receive the necessary credit or refund.”
The CQC recognised providers may face “additional financial difficulty” and would “work constructively with them to find an appropriate solution”.