Care Homes: Safety Ratings

Baroness Stedman-Scott Excerpts

Wednesday 5th February 2025 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Merron (Lab)]

I absolutely agree that the CQC has been deficient in its performance. We can look back to 2023 for the roots of that, when a new single assessment framework for assessing providers, coupled with a new IT system and changes in the CQC’s staffing model, were all brought into play. That produced a stark reduction in its inspection activity, as well as causing huge problems in the time taken to carry out re-inspections. In all of the ways that I have already mentioned, in addition to discussions on reducing the backlog and looking at the technology, staffing structure and improving governance within the CQC, this will be a root-and-branch change and will greatly improve inspection for maternity units and others.

[Baroness Stedman-Scott (Con)]

My Lords, Sir Julian Hartley, in the Health and Social Care Committee hearing, said that the new IT system introduced by the regulator had been a complete failure. What steps will His Majesty’s Government take to ensure that public bodies, not just the CQC, have adequate and effective rollouts of digital systems, so that they can deliver on their performance targets? On 6 January, the Secretary of State announced that the Government were launching an independent commission on social care reform, with the intention of forming a national care service. Can the Minister please update the House on the progress made towards this commission?

[Baroness Merron (Lab)]

To take the second question first, the commission will start its work in April. The noble Baroness, Lady Casey, has agreed to lead that review. The terms of reference will be published, and the first report will be with us next year. On the important point about IT, as I mentioned in response to the noble Lord, Lord Patel, that problem arose in 2023. The CQC has acknowledged, as we have, that there have been huge challenges with the provider portal and the regulatory platform. The Dash review talked about poorly performing systems hampering ability. This is not how the system should work. As we move towards the 10-year plan, and from analogue to digital, we will have that front and centre in how we work.