Their quest to ‘inspect’ quality into care homes is futile. Turning them into a proper regulator makes much more sense.
The CQC should have total powers over the sector. Clear accountability and someone to nail if it goes wrong.
I can think of a dozen new powers:
- Develop and publish an annual, independent, strategic assessment of the sector, with recommendations for government on the realistic cost of care and funding levels.
- Provide national model-contracts for care home providers, so the public know what to expect and where they stand.
- New powers to decline any home registration that does not have a CQC recommended safe staffing and skill-mix.
- End the difference between care homes and nursing homes.
- Develop accredited training for the care-home sector workforce.
- Publish clearer ‘Which’ style reports on care homes, making it easier for families to chose through an improved, user friendly website and help line.
- Publish ‘advisories’ on the viability of care home operators and prepare contingency plans for failure.
- Create a centre of excellence making it easy to find and share best practice.
- Provide an easy to navigate complaints and dispute resolution service.
- Create an identifiable, accessible local presence, that includes elected members, to improve public confidence in the CQC and democratic accountability.
- New powers to prevent differential charging between the LA and private sector clients.
- Powers to require care-home providers to post a performance bond to guard against the cost of failure.
Focussing these functions, in one place, makes one organisation accountable for the care home market, its conduct and it gives the CQC something useful to do…