Lib Dems highlight 'unsafe' care homes in Surrey

Liberal Democrat county councillors have expressed their concern after it was revealed that 6 care homes in Surrey are rated as "Unsafe" by the Care Quality Commission and have contracts with Surrey County Council. The information was revealed following a question tabled by Cllr Hazel Watson, Leader of the Liberal Democrats on Surrey County Council, to the Conservative Cabinet this week.

In his oral reply to Cllr Watson, the Cabinet member for Adults stated that the County Council does not send new residents to care homes that have received the poor rating, and puts in place an action plan to improve care homes which receive the rating and have existing Surrey residents.

Cllr Watson said:

"It should concern us all that we have Surrey residents receiving care packages paid for by the County Council but living in accommodation which is rated as "Unsafe" by the Care Quality Commission. One of the County Council's corporate priorities is for residents to 'live and age well', and it is not possible to age well in an environment that has been deemed unsafe by a national regulator.

"I am calling for the County Council to urgently tackle this issue by working with care homes to ensure that no Surrey resident in receipt of a care package paid for by the County Council is living in a home that has been rated as unsafe".

NOTES

A link to the question and answer can be found here (p8) - however the County Council have subsequently confirmed that the number of 4 care homes was incorrect, and should be 6:

mycouncil.surreycc.gov.uk/documents/g5109/Decisions%20Tuesday%2018-Jul-2017%2014.00%20Cabinet.pdf

A webcast of the Cabinet meeting can be found here (scroll to 0:05:45):

surreycc.public-i.tv/core/portal/webcast_interactive/297151

The CQC ratings for the 6 Surrey care homes can be found here:

www.cqc.org.uk/search/services/care-homes=

The CQC report on the state of adult social care services 2014-17 in England can be found here:

www.cqc.org.uk/publications/major-report/state-adult-social-care-services-2014-2017