Hourglass comments on the State of Care

The CQC released their report yesterday. It includes welcomed recommendations, however, lockdown measures created a pressure cooker environment for abuse. Hourglass saw enquiries to our helpline increase by 110%. With no improvement in the ratings for adult social care over the last twelve months, this highlights yet again that much more still needs to be done. We support the CQC’s call for a new deal for the care workforce and the recognition of the important role voluntary and community organisations provide. However, we must all work together to take these next important steps.

Commenting on the Care Quality Commission’s annual report “The state of health care and adult social care in England 2019/20”, Veronica Gray, Hourglass Deputy CEO and Director of Policy said: 

“Whilst there are welcome recommendations in this report, it is clear that COVID-19 has not only exposed but exacerbated the issue of how care is provided to older people in our society. The lockdown measures created a pressure cooker environment for abuse, leaving vulnerable older people at particular risk. During this period, we saw enquiries to our helpline increase by 110%”.

“It must be also noted that there has been no improvement in the ratings for adult social care over the last twelve months, highlighting yet again that much more needs to be done. Likewise, additional long-term funding, and secure investment in adult social care is now long overdue. There needs to be a level playing field. The report does well to highlight the fragility of the social care sector, which has suffered from chronic under investment and lack of workforce planning for years. These are issues that must be addressed”.

“Hourglass supports the CQC’s call for a new deal for the care workforce and the recognition of the important role voluntary and community organisations provide in promoting the safety and well-being of the most vulnerable in our communities. However, we must all work together to take these next important steps".

You can read the full report here