Learning Disability England have worked with 10 other organisations to jointly write to the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to raise their concerns about the decision to stop carrying out inspections of care homes and hospitals.
On 16 March 2020, the CQC announced a cessation of regular inspections, save for “in a very small number of cases” where there are “concerns of harm, such as allegations of abuse”.
The letter highlights that, as many CQC reports have illustrated, those who are residents of care homes are already at risk of exploitation, violence and abuse as well as inappropriate behaviours, over-medication and inappropriate medication, restraint and seclusion.
In the current coronavirus lockdown that risk is even greater due to the fact that families, friends and advocates are not able to visit their loved ones.
We hope that the CQC will acknowledge and remedy our concerns set out in the letter without the need to begin formal legal proceedings.
We have offered solutions for the CQC to consider which we all believe could decrease the risks being faced.
The organisations raising their concerns are: Challenging Behaviour Foundation, Respond, Rightful Lives, Learning Disability England, Bringing Us Together, Foundation for People with Learning Disabilities, Hourglass, Bristol Reclaiming Independent Living, People First, Inclusion London and Reclaiming Our Futures Alliance.
You can read the full letter, including the easy read version, here