Shameful CQC

On 14th April 2011 my care home had an unannounced inspection. Very little could be found wrong with the service and I had only been in post for five months and had initiated a vast amount of change, which is still ongoing. I was given a Statutory letter because I had used staff I had interviewed and accepted into  the home before  their CRB had come through,but I had explained that I was working  in  the best interest of the residents as I had been using agency staff and I had asked two of them to leave before the end of their shift due to bad practise,one had washed a lady over 103 yrs with rolled up  gloves!!!!!

I used my 40 years experience to make a well considered and well  thought through choice to use staff I thought were far more suitable and I had interviewed over those of poorly trained agency staff and got rapped over the knuckles for,in my opinion, making the right decision and protecting my elderly vulnerable residents from poor practise.

Yesterday I visited the CQC website as I was downloading more of the Compliance Tools, a  vast amount of extra paperwork that care homes have to fill in,and I decided to check on  the status of my  home. I was shocked to find that CQC had my home listed as not yet having been inspected,and I still  haven't received the inspection report from  the inspection on 14th April  2011.

Who polices the CQC? Why are blatant errors that can effect a home be allowed. I made an informed choice to protect my residents and was given a Statutory Notice,but it appears CQC can make worse errors and get away with things scott free. Believe me I have made a ruckus about this, even writing to  David Cameron who quickly passed the buck so that my letter in its entirety was passed onto CQC,including my name!!!!

I received a condescending letter back, but still no report, and now their website seems to deny we have even been inspected. To say I am  furious at their lack of internal quality control,  lack of  morals would be an understatement. What makes this story even worse, was that not long after the inspection,another inspector turned up at the home.  She started to go  through our files, then looked very sheepish and had to call head office. She had been sent to the wrong home!!!! She also promised when leaving that she would make sure our inspection report would  be sent as soon as possible as she had viewed it before visiting the home.

Cynthia Bowers has now resigned and not a moment too soon, but CQC is a Quango,paid for by the tax payers to police homes,  NHS etc,  but can't even  put their own house in order first. Will I get an apology? I will  not hold my breath,  what I  do expect is another inspection as I have been a naughty boy to complain.  I have no trust or faith in  CQC and until  they get someone in charge who will  keep things simple and keep on top of things in  their own  house, they have no right, in my book,  to  judge others.