A worrying study has revealed that nearly 50% of social care visits to the elderly were failing patients with the financial crisis in the area affecting the poorest and vulnerable.
The Care Quality Commission showed that 41% of community-based adult social care services, hospice services, and residential social care services inspected since last October were inadequate or required significant improvement. The commission surveyed 8,170 services and found that less than 1% (38) were outstanding, and 58% (4,381) were good, according to the chief executive’s report.
Care for the Elderly Facing a Crisis
It is believed by many experts that cuts to council budgets and a focus on austerity has led to a reduction in the quality of the service to the elderly with many suffering due to a lack of income and finances. According to The Association of Directors of Adult Social Care, the industry could soon be facing a severe crisis with experts warning that £1.1 billion is needed in investment. Furthermore, with the minimum wage expected to rise to £9 the industry could be short of workers.
Colin Angel, policy and campaigns director at the UK Home Care Association, which represents providers of services to people in their own homes, said: “While CQC’s new ratings show the home-care sector delivering significantly better results than residential nursing care, it is difficult to imagine how adult social care as a whole can achieve marked improvements during a financial crisis,” said Angel.
“Recruiting experienced nurses for residential care is increasingly challenging, and the turnover of home-care workers is unacceptably high due to the terms and conditions available, particularly given employers’ fears overbearing the yet unfunded costs of the forthcoming national living wage.”
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