Rush homecare visits and other homecare issues may be closely monitored by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) this year.
The Department of Health is discussing the possibility of allowing the CQC to review homecare services in 2014-2015, according to an April 2014 report by the CQC board.
The CQC is an independent body tasked to regulate services by hospitals, care homes or homecare services.
Government slashing of social care funds has greatly impacted homecare services. Cash-strapped councils have been forced to commission domiciliary care in lesser amounts of time, some lasting for about 15 minutes only. Charity group Leonard Cheshire Disability estimates that about 60% of England councils have resorted to rush 15-minute visits.
The Human Rights Commission (EHRC) have decried such system of rush visits, saying that it may lead to human rights abuses, especially among the elderly. Elderly charity groups like Age UK are concerned that many elderly may be denied proper care with 15-minute visits.
But with the cuts on government social care spending, the CQC sees a rise in the number of people being taken cared of at home.
As part of its regulatory functions, the CQC may conduct reviews of healthcare services to ensure patients have proper access to healthcare services and to check if they are being treated with dignity and respect. The CQC has done past reviews regarding the needs of elderly patients in care homes. CQC’s 2012 report revealed some flaws in care home management. In particular, CQC discovered that 35% of the facilities experienced issues on timely delivery of medication to patients.
Homecare services, however, have not yet been subjected to CQC review.
To address concerns on homecare commissioning by councils, health officials are planning to let the CQC conduct thematic reviews on homecare services in 2014-2015. Among the other subjects that are being considered for review of the CQC this 2014 are care for end-of-life patients, mental health care, care for individuals with dementia, and diabetes care pathways.
