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Content Article
At Patient Safety Learning we believe that sharing insights and learning is vital to improving outcomes and reducing harm. That's why we created the hub; providing a space for people to come together and share their experiences, resources and good practice examples. Dementia is an umbrella term for a number of diseases that affect the brain, with Alzheimer’s disease its most common cause. We have picked a range of resources and reflections about keeping people with dementia safe in health and care settings, and when considering medication choices. 1 Alzheimer's Society: Checklist for possible dementia symptoms This checklist has been developed by the Alzheimer’s Society to allow patients to check symptoms that could be a possible sign of dementia. Endorsed by the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP), it is a simple tool to help patients and their families clearly communicate their symptoms and concerns to a GP or other healthcare professional. 2 Seeing the unseen: Rethinking dementia diagnosis Across 2024 and 2025, Alzheimer’s Research UK surveyed more than 500 people affected by dementia and over 160 healthcare professionals to understand the realities of diagnosis. This report shares findings from this process and considers what works, what gets in the way, and what needs to change. 3 Health and social care support for people with dementia The Care Quality Commission (CQC) looked at people's experiences of living with dementia when using health and adult social care services, including the experiences of families and carers. It sets out the main themes that influence whether an experience is good or poor, and what health and care services are doing to improve these experiences. CQC will use the findings in this report to help shape their work to define what good care looks like for people with dementia and inform the next phase of CQC’s Dementia Strategy. 4 Keeping patients with dementia safe: an interview with Alison Keizer and Fran Hamilton When people with dementia enter a new healthcare setting, the environment may be confusing and difficult to navigate. They may be unable to use their usual coping strategies and have difficulty communicating their needs and concerns to staff. This can present a wide range of risks to their safety while accessing care. In this interview, Alison Keizer, trust-wide Dementia Lead, and Fran Hamilton, Occupational Therapist and Deputy Dementia Lead at Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust, describe the patient safety issues affecting patients with dementia and suggest how they can be supported to reduce these risks. 5 World Alzheimer Report 2025: Reimagining life with dementia – the power of rehabilitation This report from Alzheimer's Disease International explores the important topic of dementia rehabilitation, combining expert essays and real-world case studies from multiple countries globally to examine how the concept is defined and implemented, as well as practical considerations of how to best adapt rehabilitation practices for people living with dementia in different contexts. 6 National Audit of Dementia: Spotlight Audit in Memory Assessment Services 2023/24 This report examines waiting times, access to assessments, treatment, and post-diagnostic support for people with dementia in memory assessment services. The results indicate that there is still a great deal of variation between services in key results such as average waiting time for patients, the proportion of patients diagnosed with dementia, and the provision of post diagnostic support and therapy. 7 The role of integrated care systems in improving dementia diagnosis The Alzheimer’s Society commissioned The King’s Fund to explore the development of Integrated Care Systems (ICSs) through the lens of dementia diagnosis—to consider what opportunities ICSs present to approach dementia differently and to improve diagnosis rates by doing so. The research team explored enablers and barriers to improving dementia diagnosis through interviews with stakeholders and people affected by dementia in three case study ICSs. 8 Alzheimer's Society: 'This is me' leaflet This simple leaflet was developed by the Alzheimer's Society for anyone living with dementia, or experiencing delirium or other communication difficulties. It provides a central place where those closest to the person can fill in key information about them, such as their preferred name, cultural background, routines and likes and dislikes. The leaflet can then be shown to health and social care professionals in new and unknown settings to help them better understand the person and deliver care that is tailored to their individual needs. 9 Dementia UK: Making the home safe and comfortable for a person with dementia Dementia can have a significant impact on a person’s daily life, including how well they function within their home. Memory issues or problems recognising and interpreting the objects around them can cause the person frustration or create safety issues. Dementia UK have produced a leaflet with tips and guidance on how to make the home more safe for someone with dementia. 10 Alzheimer's Society: Tips for carers - questions to ask the doctor about antipsychotics Antipsychotic drugs may be prescribed for people with dementia who develop symptoms such as aggression and psychosis. This webpage from the Alzheimer's Society provides information on the prescription of antipsychotic medications for people living with dementia. It describes their potential side effects and includes a list of helpful questions that carers should ask healthcare professionals before the person they care for is prescribed antipsychotic medication. 11 Assessment, diagnosis, care and support for people with dementia and their carers: A national clinical guideline These national clinical guidelines from Health Improvement Scotland, the first to be published in nearly 20 years, provide recommendations on the assessment, treatment and support of adults living with dementia. It calls for greater awareness of pre-death grief for people with dementia, their carers and their loved ones, as they fear the loss of the person they know. To accompany the guidelines, a podcast has been produced by Health Improvement Scotland speaking to professionals, including Dr Adam Daly, Chair of Healthcare Improvement Scotland’s Guideline Development Group and a Consultant in old age psychiatry, and Jacqueline Thompson, a nurse consultant and the lead on pre-grief death for the guideline. 12 Alzheimer’s Society: Improving access to a timely and accurate diagnosis of dementia in England, Wales and Northern Ireland A formal diagnosis of dementia can help people living with the condition and their families gain a better understanding of what to expect and help to inform important decisions about treatment, support and care. This report from the Alzheimer's Society highlights the barriers to accessing a timely and accurate dementia diagnosis and advocate for practical changes and tangible solutions to overcome them. 13 The current state of dementia diagnosis and care in England The current dementia care system remains fragmented, underfunded, and difficult to navigate, leaving many individuals and families unsupported. In response to these systemic challenges, Care England, in partnership with Dementia Forward and care providers, conducted a national survey in January 2025. This initiative aimed to capture the experiences of people living with dementia, their families, and care staff. The findings highlight significant gaps and inequalities in the dementia care pathway and inform a set of urgent policy recommendations. 14 Raising awareness of normal pressure hydrocephalus: an often misdiagnosed condition Normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) is a progressive neurological condition that comes under the dementia umbrella. In NPH, the cerebrospinal fluid-filled ventricles within the brain expand and distort the surrounding tissues. This process causes the neurological symptoms of NPH. Unlike other forms of hydrocephalus, NPH does not result in significantly raised intracranial pressure. NPH is often misdiagnosed as it is similar to neurodegenerative conditions such as Parkinson’s disease and other causes of dementia, such as Alzheimer's disease. However, unlike these other conditions, if diagnosed early there is an effective treatment that can significantly slow disease progression and potentially improve, or even reverse, symptoms in some people. 15 The training gap: a hidden injustice in dementia care and how to fix it This report from Alzheimer's UK reveals huge gaps in dementia training across social care: half of staff receive just one to two hours of dementia learning despite 70% of care home residents living with the condition. It argues that these shortfalls in training are leaving social care staff unprepared, unsupported, and putting people with dementia at risk of inadequate care. It calls on the government to build a bold and ambitious dementia plan, which includes mandatory dementia training for care staff. 16 Alzheimer's Society: Unlocking the door to dementia diagnosis and treatments Systems designed to diagnose and support people with dementia are struggling to keep pace, with delays, inequalities and missed opportunities far too common. Too many people have a poor experience, wait too long for a diagnosis and receive less treatment and support than clinical guidance says they should. Everyone with dementia has the right to an early and accurate diagnosis and the best available treatments. Alzheimer's Society’s two 'Unlocking the door' reports lay out a stark reality – and a clear programme of reform for England, Wales and Northern Ireland. For more resources, take a look at our Dementia area of the hub. Do you have a resource or story to share about dementia or a related condition? Could your insights or experiences help improve patient safety? Leave a comment below (join the hub for free first) or contact us at [email protected]. -
News Article
Care home manager struck off over 'horrific' restraining of disabled person
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
A care home manager in Ayrshire has been struck off after inappropriately and unnecessarily restraining a disabled person for a vaccine injection. A tribunal hearing heard that Janette Donnelly's use of force was "horrific" and resulted in scenes of chaos at Millport Care Centre on 19 February 2021. The jab ended up being administered through the resident's clothes, following which Donnelly told a colleague that she would not report that it had been injected that way. The Nursing and Midwifery Council ruled her actions were a significant departure from the standards expected of nurses and she had repeatedly given a "dishonest and self serving" account of the day to justify her actions. A registered NHS nurse had visited the care home on the day to administer the Covid-19 vaccine to people staying there. The resident, described in the hearing as Service User A, had a learning disability and at times restraints were used to allow her to be fed, but these were only meant to be for brief periods of time. She was due to receive her second vaccination but two attempts to do so in the building's dining room earlier that day had not gone ahead. Instead, the vaccine was given in the resident's bedroom while she was being held on the floor Donnelly and two other staff members. Evidence to the panel said the woman was shouting, screaming and struggling. One witness stated that she would never forget the sight she was confronted with, that it was a "horrific" scene, and that Donnelly had restrained the person's head with her hands. Donnelly told the NHS nurse to carry out the injection through the resident's clothing. After this happened the colleague said to Donnelly, "please don't tell anyone I've administered the vaccine in this way", to which Donnelly said "of course I won't". Donnelly claimed she was unaware the vaccine had been given through the clothing, which the panel did not agree with. It ruled her actions in not reporting this were dishonest. The panel also ruled that the vaccine did not have to be given on that day, and the nurse could have visited at another time. It concluded that Donnelly's actions "placed Service User A at a risk of physical harm, and both Service User A and your colleagues at a risk of emotional harm". Read full story Source: BBC News, 27 April 2026 -
Content ArticleMaintaining meaningful contact with family and friends is essential for the health and wellbeing of people in care settings. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) introduced Regulation 9A, a new Care Quality Commission (CQC) fundamental standard on visiting and accompanying in care homes, hospitals, and hospices. This regulation came into force in April 2024 and aims to ensure that: people in care homes, hospitals or hospices can receive visits from people they want to see care home residents are not discouraged from taking visits out of the home people attending outpatient appointment can be accompanied by a family member, friend or supporter if they would like to be. The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has conducted a post-implementation review to assess the effectiveness of the regulation, gathering evidence from individuals, professionals, organisations and advocacy groups. The call for evidence provided vital information which has informed the overall review outcome. The review found strong consensus that visiting and accompanying are vital for wellbeing, trust and recovery, and that restrictions can cause distress and harm. While Regulation 9A has helped to clarify expectations, reinforce good practice and provided legislative protection for visiting and accompanying, the review found mixed views on its effectiveness in practice. DHSC has identified 6 important areas for development: data awareness and understanding decision making processes communication of restrictions by providers distinction between ‘visitor’ and ‘care supporter’ monitoring and enforcement. The outcome report sets out the findings of the review and the work DHSC will take forward to address these gaps. This work aims to ensure Regulation 9A is more effective and support a change in culture and practice to embed Regulation 9A in health and care settings. This is vital to ensuring that the rights of people in health and care settings to see their loved ones are upheld consistently and transparently, supporting person-centred care and meaningful connections.
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Content ArticleThe purpose of this study was to look at reported patient safety events at the interface between hospital and care home including what active failings and latent conditions were present and how reporting helped learning. Two care home organisations, one in the North East and one in the South West of England, participated in the study. Reports relating to a transition and where a patient safety event had occurred were sought during the Covid-19 virus prepandemic and intrapandemic periods. All reports were screened for eligibility and analysed using content analysis. The findings highlight potentially high levels of underreporting. The most common safety incidents reported were pressure damage, medication errors, and premature discharge. Many active failings causing numerous staff actions were identified emphasizing the cost to patients and services. Additionally, latent conditions (failings) were not emphasized; similarly, evidence of learning from safety incidents was not addressed.
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News ArticleA government crackdown on visas for overseas workers could put overstretched care homes under threat of closure, with tens of thousands fewer staff coming to the UK, The Independent can reveal. Applications for Britain’s health and care worker visa are at a record low after care workers were prevented from bringing children and other dependants with them in a bid to curb climbing migration numbers. Between April 2023 to March 2024, when the new rules came in, there were 129,000 applicants, but that plummeted to just 26,000 in the year to March 2025, according to government figures. The revelation comes as care homes struggle to retain staff, with more than 100,000 vacancies across England last year - a rate of 8 per cent and three times the national average. Age UK warned that overseas recruits were “keeping many services afloat” and some care homes could be forced to shut if they could not find alternatives, piling more pressure on NHS hospitals. Read full story Source: The Independent, 6 May 2025
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News Article
Woman secretly filmed her mum being abused in care home
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
A woman secretly filmed her mother's mistreatment in a care home after concerns she raised about her care were ignored. Nicola Hughes, who is a registered nurse, hid a covert camera in a radio in her mother's bedroom at Barrogil House in Fife. The footage revealed staff roughly handling Janette Ritchie and shouting at her. One carer was filmed holding bedclothes over her head and saying "Rest in Peace". Five people were dismissed last year after the care home was made aware of the footage. However, the family continued to have concerns about standards, which they raised with the Care Inspectorate – and it has now upheld four complaints against the home. "Making a decision to put cameras into someone's room is nerve-wracking because you're frightened - frightened of consequences for me, for my mum. You're frightened about what you're going to find on these cameras," Nicola said. "What I discovered was absolutely heartbreaking. "My mum was getting left overnight without any welfare checks being completed. Unfortunately, my mum's incontinent so she was left lying in her own urine. "Staff verbally abusing her, emotionally abusing her - telling her that she's stinking, telling her that she's stupid. Using my name against her." Read full story Source: BBC News, 4 March 2025 -
News Article
Care home safety ratings can’t be trusted, says watchdog boss
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
The public can no longer trust safety ratings when choosing a care home for elderly parents, the new head of England’s care watchdog has admitted. Sir Julian Hartley, the chief executive of the Care Quality Commission (CQC), said the problems applied across NHS hospitals, care homes and other health and social care facilities. The regulator has “lost its way” with many of its reports now years out of date, he said. A new IT system brought in to streamline the inspection process didn’t work, meaning that reports were lost and information could not be recorded. In some cases the system failed to note actions in responses to safety concerns raised with the CQC so staff are having to go back over a backlog of 5,000 alerts. Hartley said the system had been “a complete failure in terms of what it set out to achieve”. A review has been launched and he promised it would be made public. He aid the issue was a matter of public confidence. “If you’re thinking about where to put your mum in a care home you want to have reliable information that’s up to date. Effectively the CQC is not delivering on its operational performance. It’s not delivering for people that use services and patients.” Read full story (paywalled) Source: The Times, 1 February 2025 -
Content ArticleThis alert is for action by all those responsible for the use, purchase, prescription and maintenance of medical beds, trolleys, bed rails, bed grab handles and lateral turning devices including all Acute and Community healthcare organisations, care homes, equipment providers, Occupational Therapists and early intervention teams. From 1 January 2018 to 31 December 2022, the MHRA received 18 reports of deaths related to medical beds, bed rails, trolleys, bariatric beds, lateral turning devices and bed grab handles, and 54 reports of serious injuries. The majority of these were due to entrapment or falls. Investigations into incidents involving falls often found the likely cause to be worn or broken parts, which should have been replaced during regular maintenance and servicing, but which were either not carried out or were carried out improperly. Actions required Update your organisation’s policies and procedures on procurement, provision, prescribing, servicing and maintenance of these devices in line with the MHRA’s updated guidance on the management and safe use of bed rails. Develop a plan for all applicable staff to have training relevant to their role within the next 12 months with regular updates. All training should be recorded. Review the medical device management system (inventory/database) for your organisation or third-party provider for devices within your organisation, including those which have been provided to a community setting (for example, the patient’s own home). Keep this system up to date. Implement maintenance and servicing schedules for the devices in the inventory/database, in line with the manufacturer’s instructions for use and/or service manual. Prioritise devices which have not had regular maintenance and servicing. If this is outsourced, compliance with the schedule should be monitored. Review patients who are children or adults with atypical anatomy as a priority. Ensure the equipment they have been provided with is compliant with BS EN 50637:2017 unless there is a reason for using a non-compliant bed. Record this on the risk assessment and put in place measures to reduce entrapment risks as far as possible. Review all patients who are currently provided with bed rails or bed grab handles to ensure there is a documented up-to-date risk assessment. Complete risk assessments for patients where this has not already been done and for each patient who is provided with bed rails or bed grab handles. Implement systems to update risk assessments where the equipment or the patient’s clinical condition has changed (for example, reduction/improvement in weight or mobility), and also at regular intervals.
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Content ArticlePaul Brand investigates why 6,000 people have been given "notices to quit" by care homes across England, and why so many people are being kicked out of them.
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Content ArticleVisits from loved ones are vital to the health and wellbeing of people receiving care in care homes, hospitals and hospices. There have been concerns about visiting restrictions in health and care settings for several years, and the restrictions introduced in response to the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated these concerns. While those restrictions were in place at the time to control the risk of transmission and keep people safe, it was detrimental for loved ones to have been kept apart or not to have had someone supporting them in hospital. Guidance is now clear that visiting should be encouraged and facilitated in all circumstances. This consultation seeks views on introducing secondary legislation to protect visiting as a fundamental standard across CQC-registered settings so that no one is denied reasonable access to visitors while they are resident in a care home, or a patient in hospital or a hospice. This includes accompanying people to hospital appointments (outpatients or diagnostic visits). Related reading on the hub: Visiting restrictions and the impact on patients and their families: a relative's perspective It’s time to rename the ‘visitor’: reflections from a relative
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Content ArticleWhile at Amberley Hall Care Home for rehabilitation, Geoffrey Whatling’s family had raised concerns that he was unwell. He was scored as a 7 on the National Early Warning Score (NEWS2) system on the 8 April 2023. Such a score requires a 999 call to be made, however instead a 111 call was made. The 111 call taker was not made aware of his NEWS2 score. Further observations were carried out on 9 April 2023 (NEWS2 score 6), and 07.00 (NEWS2 score 5) and again on 10 April 2023 at 12.13 (NEWS2 score 9/10), when emergency services were called and Mr Whatling was admitted to Queen Elizabeth Hospital. Despite treatment his condition continued to deteriorate and he died on 26 April 2023. The Coroner in their report raises a number of matters of concern: Mr Whatling was not eating and drinking very much. A food and fluid chart was not fully completed. Emergency services were not called on 8 April 2023 when Mr Whatling scored NEWS2 7 as required. The evidence so far revealed is that 111 call taker was not made aware Mr Whatling had scored NEWS2 7. Mr Whatling’s observations were not taken hourly as required. Some of Mr Whatling’s observations were recorded on a piece of paper and were not logged in his Care Records. The Manager only became aware of gaps in the records following concerns raised by the family. There is no evidence that any action has been taken following Mr Whatling’s death.
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Content ArticleThe Strengthening Medication Safety in Long-Term Care initiative, funded by the Ontario Ministry of Long-Term Care was established in partnership with the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) Canada to address the medication safety-related recommendations in Justice Gillese’s Long-Term Care Homes Public Inquiry Report. The three-year initiative is designed to improve medication management processes, including those intended to deter and detect intentional and unintentional harm in long-term care homes across the province of Ontario. This bulletin provides an overview of the initiative and highlights selected examples of improvement projects completed in the first phase.
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Content ArticleOrchard Care Homes had noticed high numbers of antipsychotic medicines being prescribed to people living with dementia. There appeared to be little consideration of why these people were distressed and communicating this through behaviour. Orchard staff were convinced pain was a key factor in these distress responses—they were not necessarily because the person had a diagnosis of dementia. Orchard adopted PainChek, a digital pain assessment tool, in 2021 to support their dementia promise framework. They worked with the PainChek team and ran a pilot with the app. They were one of the first care providers to use this solution in the UK. It was originally launched it in one of their specialist dementia care communities, but is now in all 23 Orchard homes. Since the rollout of the app, there has been an increase in available pain relief and a decrease in conflict-related safeguarding referrals. There is increased time available for colleagues and a reduction in polypharmacy. There has been a 10% decrease in antipsychotic medicine use across all 23 homes, promoting a greater quality of life. People now have effective pain management plans. Orchard have also been able to ensure distress plans are in place which firstly considers if pain is the cause of distress. This case study was submitted to the Care Quality Commission's (CQC's) Capturing innovation to accelerate improvement project by Orchard Care Homes.
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Content ArticleThe National Early Warning Score (NEWS2) is calculated using routine vital sign measures of temperature, pulse and so on. It is used by ambulance staff and emergency departments to identify sick adults whose condition is likely to deteriorate. NEWS2 has been shown to work among the general population. However, it has been unclear if it could monitor the condition of care home residents because of their age, frailty, and multiple long-term conditions. New research from the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) shows that, among care home residents admitted to hospital as an emergency, NEWS2 can effectively identify people whose condition is likely to get worse.
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News Article
NHS: Woman waited nine months for hospital discharge
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
A woman who spent nine months in hospital waiting for a suitable care home placement became a "shadow of her former self", her mother has said. Jocelyn Ullmer, 60, from West Sussex, saw her health deteriorate after being admitted to hospital in June last year. Her mother, Sylvia Hubbard, 86, said: "We tried to get her out of hospital, but no-one wanted her." Across England, around 60% of patients classed as fit to leave remain in hospital at the end of an average day. Figures show the biggest obstacle is a lack of beds in other settings, such as care homes and community hospitals. The government said it was investing £1.6bn over the next two years to help improve the situation. Read full story Source: BBC News, 8 November 2023 -
News ArticleSome care home residents may have been "neglected and left to starve" during the pandemic, Scotland's Covid Inquiry is expected to hear. Lawyers representing bereaved relatives said they also anticipate the inquiry will hear some people were forced into agreeing to "do not resuscitate" plans. Shelagh McCall KC told the inquiry that evidence to be led would "point to a systemic failure of the model of care". The public inquiry is investigating Scotland's response to the pandemic. Ms McCall is representing Bereaved Relatives Group Skye, a group of bereaved relatives and care workers from Skye and five other health board areas of Scotland. In her opening statement, she told the public inquiry that families wanted to know why Covid was allowed to enter care homes and "spread like wildfire" during the pandemic. She added: "As well as revealing the suffering of individuals and their families, we anticipate the evidence in these hearings will point to a systemic failure of the model for the delivery of care in Scotland, for its regulation and inspection. "We anticipate the inquiry will hear that people were pressured to agree to do not resuscitate notices, that people were not resuscitated even though no such notice was in place, that residents may have been neglected and left to starve and that families are not sure they were told the truth about their relative's death." Read full story Source: BBC News, 25 October 2023
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News Article
Families sue government for failing to protect care homes from Covid
Patient-Safety-Learning posted a news article in News
Thirty families are starting legal action against the government, care homes and several hospitals in England over the deaths of their relatives in the early days of the Covid pandemic. The families argue not enough was done to protect their loved ones from the virus. They are claiming damages for loss of life and the distress caused. The government says it specifically sought to safeguard care home residents using the best evidence available. The legal claims focus on the decision in March 2020 to rapidly discharge hospital patients into care homes without testing or a requirement for them to isolate. The cases follow a 2022 High Court judgement that ruled the policy was unlawful - as it failed to take into account the risk to elderly and vulnerable care home residents of asymptomatic transmission of the virus. One of the cases is being brought by Liz Weager, whose 95-year-old mother Margaret tested positive for the virus in her care home in May 2020 and died later in hospital. "What was happening in the management of those care homes? What advice were they having?" Liz asks. "It goes back to the government. There was a lack of preparedness, which then translated down to the care home." Read full story Source: BBC News, 25 August 2023 -
News Article
Only one in five staff at care scandal trust confident in execs
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
Just one-fifth of staff at a trust engulfed in an abuse scandal expressed confidence in the executive team, according to the Care Quality Commission (CQC), which has downgraded the trust and its leadership team to ‘inadequate’. The CQC inspected Greater Manchester Mental Health Trust following NHS England launching a review into the trust in November 2022 after BBC Panorama exposed abuse and care failings at the medium-secure Edenfield Centre. The two inspections, made between January and March 2023, which assessed inpatient services and whether the organisation was well-led, also saw the trust served with a warning notice due to continued concerns over safety and quality of care, including failure to manage ligature risks on inpatient wards. Inspectors identified more than 1,000 ligature incidents on adult acute and psychiatric intensive care wards in a six-month period. In the year to January, four deaths had occurred by use of ligature on wards which the CQC said “demonstrated that actions to mitigate ligature risks and incidents by clinical and operational management had not been effective”. Read full story (paywalled) Source: HSJ, 21 July 2023 -
Content ArticleSocial care in England entered the pandemic in a fragile state. With much already written about the government’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic in the social care sector, this new report from the Nuffield Trust in collaboration with the Care Policy and Evaluation Centre analyses the structural and systemic factors that influenced that initial national response. Covid had far-reaching impacts on social care and exacerbated many longstanding issues. This work seeks to highlight progress and identify where action is needed to create a more resilient system.
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Content ArticleIn this article, published on Richard Smith's non-medical blogs, Richard describes the events surrounding his elderly mothers trip to A&E from her care home. Richard highlights a number of safety issues in his account and improvements that could be made to the system and processes. "The nurses have much more confidence in the benefits of the hospital than I do. Hospitals, I know, are dangerous and miserable places for everybody but particularly for the demented; and the danger is increased in the pandemic. There has to be considerable benefit to outweigh the inbuilt risk."
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Content ArticleNine care home workers are facing trial for neglecting, verbally abusing and deliberately antagonising extremely vulnerable patients at Whorlton Hall. The six men and three women, aged 25-54, are being prosecuted after a reporter went undercover and filmed the behaviour for a BBC Panorama documentary. George Julian repots on the case at Teesside crown court in Middlesbrough.
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News Article
Scandal of care home sex predators free to target the vulnerable
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
Predatory staff who target vulnerable adults in care homes are free to move jobs unchallenged, The Independent can reveal, as almost 10,000 incidents of sexual abuse have been recorded in the last three years. The fact that abusers can move from home to home emerged in an independent review sparked by complaints made three decades ago by the family of a man with learning disabilities. Clive Treacey was allegedly groomed and sexually abused at the age of 23 in a private care home in Cheshire and then moved to Staffordshire where his abuser was able to access him again, it was claimed. Both Mr Treacey and his alleged abuser have since died. His story was first reported by The Independent in 2021 and the review into his care – carried out by the most senior safeguarding expert in England Professor Michael Preston-Shoot and seen exclusively by this publication – showed huge failures in dealing with concerns raised by his family. It warned that vulnerable adults across the country could still be at risk of harm with no national guidance for officials on how to respond to allegations of abuse of adults by care home staff in positions of trust. Read full story Read the Discretionary Safeguarding Adults Review into Clive's case Source: The Independent, 18 April 2024 -
EventuntilWhile the pandemic didn’t cause all the shifts happening in healthcare, it had a major hand in accelerating and shaping the changes that will alter the healthcare landscape far into the future. Join Fierce Healthcare as we examine the tectonic transformation across healthcare. We’ll explore changing consumer expectations in access to care, the moves by major tech players and providers to reach their customers and strategies for actually paying for everything. Register
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Event
Couldn't care less: The permanent crisis of care
Sam posted an event in Community Calendar
untilWe all need care at some point in our lives. And as many as 8.8 million of us are already carers. Despite that, in just two years, the number of older people living with an unmet care need has risen by 19%. Why is our care system so neglected? Our care system was in crisis before the pandemic and remains in crisis now. It'll continue to be in crisis long after we're vaccinated against COVID-19. A system under stress, carers under pressure and those in need of care facing neglect. This is our new normal. Can nothing be done about this? Join our host, Claret Press publisher Katie Isbester PhD, and our three guests, as they grapple with the big issues that affect us all. They will talk with Professor of Sociology Dr Emma Dowling and the Director of UNICARE at UNI Global Union Mark Bergfeld, as well as acclaimed writer, with lived experience of care, Sarah Gray. Register -
News Article
People with Covid discharged to care homes over fears for NHS, inquiry told
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
People with Covid-19 were discharged to care homes over fears about the NHS getting “clogged up”, the pandemic inquiry has heard. Professor Dame Jenny Harries, England’s deputy chief medical officer during the pandemic and now head of the UK Health Security Agency, told the inquiry of how an email she sent in mid-March 2020 described the “bleak picture” and “top line awful prospect” of what needed to happen if hospitals overflowed. Discharging people to care homes – where thousands of people died of Covid – has been one of the central controversies when it comes to how the Government handled the pandemic. On Wednesday, the Covid inquiry was read an email exchange between Rosamond Roughton, an official at the Department of Health, and Dame Jenny on March 16 2020. Ms Roughton asked what the approach should be around discharging symptomatic people to care homes, adding: “My working assumption was that we would have to allow discharge to happen, and have very strict infection control? Otherwise the NHS presumably gets clogged up with people who aren’t acutely ill.” Ms Roughton added that this was a “big ethical issue” for care home providers who were “understandably very concerned” and who were “already getting questions from family members”. In response, Dame Jenny emailed: “Whilst the prospect is perhaps what none of us would wish to plan for, I believe the reality will be that we will need to discharge Covid-19 positive patients into residential care settings for the reason you have noted. “This will be entirely clinically appropriate because the NHS will triage those to retain in acute settings who can benefit from that sector’s care. “The numbers of people with disease will rise sharply within a fairly short timeframe and I suspect make this fairly normal practice and more acceptable, but I do recognise that families and care homes will not welcome this in the initial phase.” Read full story Source: The Independent, 29 November 2023
