CQC warning: Worried daughter wants more surprise visits (From Herald Series)

CQC warning: Worried daughter wants more surprise visits

9:00am Monday 4th March 2013 in News

Jacqui Ling, 46, raised concerns after her mother, Jean Brierty, spent a short stay in Brookfield Christian Care Home, in Greater Leys, Oxford.

After just two weeks, the 82-year-old had to be admitted to the John Radcliffe Hospital with acute renal failure, caused by dehydration.

She had not been given enough to drink.

Following the complaints, the CQC found in April 2011 that the home had failed seven out of 11 essential standards.

Mrs Ling said: “The biggest worry for anyone who is going to put a parent into a care home is that it has been inspected so that issues, such as those that happened to mum, are not going to happen to anyone else. The CQC is fundamental.”

But she said inspectors should visit institutions more than once a year and at different times of the day to build up a true picture.

She added: “Things change and staff levels and managers change, and that can affect the way the care home is run.

“If that care home is only inspected once a year, how can it give a true reflection of how that care home is running?”

Meanwhile, Bert Dowler, 88, raised concerns about care home Brooklands 2, Banbury, in 2011 after his friend, Arthur Forse, stayed there.

He said problems at the home included a lack of cleanliness, poor and unsuitable food and communication issues with staff.

Mr Dowler said the health of his friend deteriorated before he was moved to Southerndown in Chipping Norton.

The CQC carried out an unannounced inspection following the complaints and found the home was not meeting “essential standards”.

Mr Dowler said: “I consider the CQC vital because I personally saw so many people living there were being neglected. I would assume that they need more inspectors, to pay more frequent visits to observe such malpractice.

“Many patients cannot communicate, so it needs an external observer to identify faults.”

He said care homes were “slaughterhouses” where they “stick you in nappies and give you tablets to keep you quiet until you fade away”.