Age UK & CSA comment on CQC report

This year’s State of Care report, by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) highlights the success of health and care services, and the challenges ahead with new types of demand, access and cost.

Caroline Abrahams, Charity Director at Age UK and co-Chair of the Care Support Alliance said:

'According to this report people have only a one in fifty chance of receiving great care, compared to a one in five chance of that care not being good enough. What’s worse, these odds are not evenly distributed so if you’re unlucky you may find yourself living in an area where mediocre care is as good as it gets.'

'Really this tells you everything you need to know about the state of care today: it’s like a rubber band that’s been stretched as far as it will go and can’t stretch any further. Meanwhile the demand for care keeps ratcheting up.

“In the report the inspectorate effectively puts the Government on notice that our country’s current approach to care is in the last chance saloon, and that increased investment and reform can’t be put off any more. We strongly agree and we call on the Government to put paid to today’s press rumours suggesting they may be preparing to kick the issue into the long grass. This report shows that any such move would be reckless in the extreme.'