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Hospital failure regime extended to care homes Hospital failure regime extended to care homes
(about 4 hours later)
A system of special measures designed to improve failing hospitals in England is to be extended to care homes, the government is expected to announce. A system of special measures designed to improve failing hospitals in England is to be extended to care homes, the government has announced.
The process was introduced by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) a year ago at 11 failing trusts.The process was introduced by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) a year ago at 11 failing trusts.
Most have since made progress - although only five have been or are being taken out of special measures.Most have since made progress - although only five have been or are being taken out of special measures.
A similar scheme will be introduced for care homes and home care agencies next year, ministers will say. Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said the scheme would be introduced for care homes and home-care agencies next year.
That will cover 25,000 services and could lead to the closure of those that fail to improve.That will cover 25,000 services and could lead to the closure of those that fail to improve.
The system is not expected to start until April as the ratings regime it is based on will only be rolled out in the social care system from the autumn. In the hospital sector, special measures has involved:
The ratings, based on a system first used in schools, give health and care services a rating of outstanding, good, requires improvement or inadequate. The details of the regime for care homes are still being worked out, but is likely to involve less external support and instead rely on shorter deadlines to shock the providers into action.
'Improvement' The first services will be placed in special measures from April, as the underlying ratings regime will be rolled out in the social-care system from the autumn.
The scoring, based on a system first used in schools, gives health and care services a rating of outstanding, good, requires improvement or inadequate.
Mr Hunt said it had been introduced because of the Stafford Hospital scandal, which had acted as a "wake-up call" for the system.
He said by being open about failings, the health and care sector could be held to account better - as the "encouraging" progress made by the original 11 trusts placed in special measures showed.
"Thanks to a sharp focus on admitting problems rather than burying heads in the sand, some of these hospitals have tackled their deep-rooted failings for the first time and are on the road to recovery," he added.
Since those first 11 were placed in special measures another six trusts have followed. All those remain in special measures.
CQC social care chief inspector Andrea Sutcliffe said extending the failure regime to social care would drive up standards.
"I am clear that abuse, neglect and poor care will not be tolerated," she added.
Nadra Ahmed, chairman of the National Care Association, told the BBC that anything that safeguarded vulnerable people "has got to be good".Nadra Ahmed, chairman of the National Care Association, told the BBC that anything that safeguarded vulnerable people "has got to be good".
But she said she did have concerns about how the new measures would be implemented and the financial pressures on care homes put into special measures.But she said she did have concerns about how the new measures would be implemented and the financial pressures on care homes put into special measures.
She said care homes in special measures may no longer get residents placed in their care by the local authority, and as a result would lose additional funding and could face closure, in a way that does not happen to a hospital. Meanwhile, the progress made by the failing hospitals has been welcomed by both the NHS and patient groups.
"I wonder whether a home in special measures will be able to continue to function," she said. Katherine Murphy, of the Patients Association, said it was good news, but warned there was "still a long way to go".
And Judy Downey, who is the chairwomen of the Relatives and Residents' Association, said it was not clear how the system would change.
"The CQC have always had the power to close a home on an emergency basis, they can give warnings to improve, they can impose fines. I really don't see what this adds," she said.
High-risk
But in the future the failure regime may also be rolled out to GP surgeries.
It started last year in the hospital sector with those rated inadequate being placed in special measures.
The first 11 trusts placed in special measures came after a government-commissioned review of high-risk hospitals following the public inquiry into the Stafford Hospital scandal.
Since then another six hospital trusts have been placed in special measures after critical inspections.
Steps taken include closer scrutiny by regulators, management changes, buddying schemes with successful trusts and an improvement director being parachuted in to oversee any changes that need to be made.
Ministers will hail the process a success - even though not all of the 11 original trusts identified as failing have improved enough to leave special measures.
Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt will say the Stafford Hospital scandal was a "wake-up call" for the NHS.
"Thanks to a sharp focus on admitting problems rather than burying heads in the sand, some of these hospitals have tackled their deep-rooted failings for the first time and are on the road to recovery."
But the CQC's chief inspector of hospitals, Prof Sir Mike Richards, said: "We have achieved a great deal in the last twelve months."
Rob Webster, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, which represents hospital trusts, said: "Changing the culture in an organisation - and the outcomes it delivers - is never easy.Rob Webster, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, which represents hospital trusts, said: "Changing the culture in an organisation - and the outcomes it delivers - is never easy.
"The staff and the leadership teams at each of these organisations should be proud of the progress they have made over the past 12 months in improving patient care." "The staff and the leadership teams at each of these organisations should be proud of the progress they have made."
The CQC's chief inspector of hospitals, Prof Sir Mike Richards, said: "We have achieved a great deal in the last twelve months."
Have you been affected by the issues in this story? Do you think the special measures would help to improve care homes in England? You can share your views with us by emailing Haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk using the subject heading 'Care Homes'.Have you been affected by the issues in this story? Do you think the special measures would help to improve care homes in England? You can share your views with us by emailing Haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk using the subject heading 'Care Homes'.