BARONESS YOUNG RESIGNS
Editorial by Eileen Chubb.
This Christmas we remember all those who have needlessly suffered and died in places where they should have been cared for, and the impact on the lives of their families. Christmas is a hard time for all those that have lost a loved one but when that death could have been avoided it is even harder to bear, I know that from my own experience.
Baroness Young, the women in charge of the Care Quality Commission has resigned, hundreds have died in just one of the Hospitals from hell, hospitals given glowing reports just weeks previously.
This charity has exposed the shocking state of CQC care home inspections in our campaign, Tales of the Un-inspected, whilst other charities believed that “Care Homes were Robustly Controlled” We could see no evidence there was any such control.
Baroness Young has never dealt with any of the inspection reports we have sent to her and nor has she responded to our concerns that she was giving more stars to failing homes. It was put to Baroness Young that care homes were being given more stars in order to save money and claim credit for driving up standards. ( See, Three Star Fiddles) CQC issue a statement on December 3rd 2009, claiming just that.
Last night on BBC 2 I saw a programme called saving a dementia care home, a greedy grasping manager who noticed a few pence worth of bread might be eaten by night staff, who noticed that an elderly resident had bruises but whose only concern was that it was recorded to “Cover herself legally” and homes where an elderly man lying on the floor is told to get up by staff and people are left in appalling distress for the want of human contact, where the home manager can not explain what EMI stands for but most telling of all is not aware what rating CQC gives the home. I will watch the second half of this series before writing a more in depth report on it but I can offer Gerry Robinson some advice, firstly save the residents not the homes and secondly it makes bugger all difference what CQC think of the homes as to put it bluntly they would not know a victim of abuse if they tripped over dead bodies.
What would I wish Baroness Young this Christmas? I wish her the knowledge that across this country the defenceless will continue to be abused because those with the power to do something looked away and they did it on her watch.
December 10th, 2009 at 6:57 am
Oh dear. If she’s quick the ‘Baroness’ can get a new job – there’s a vacancy in the Pantomime “Cinderella” for a ‘baroness’ as one of the evil sisters.
Just as with her predecessor “Dame” Denise Platt – all these people are eminently suitable for Panto and what it stands for – but, sadly, are NOT equal to the task of having a senior position within any social care situation – especially where it involves some of the most vulnerable and frail members of our society, ie the elderly people in Homes. Young is a self-serving individual who, only 4 days into her resignation from the CQC, has several well-known Lords and MPs attempting to defend her.
She’s even made a risible statement that, having set-up and overseen the inception of the CQC, she has now completed her task and will hand over to someone new ! If that were the case, why was the position of Chairman not outlined for only a few months. Rather, she has failed abysmally – failed the old and the sick and those in ‘care’ homes who desperately need someone to watch over them. Her remit was NOT simply to oversee the formation of a new-style ‘watchdog’ – it was, as she is totally aware, intended to be a long-term position.
Young has been caught out – not just by her colleagues who would, no doubt, have colluded with the ever-present cover-up; no, she has been outed by her own disastrous failings which were obviously discovered by decent, caring people.
Her additional, ridiculous and derisory ‘award stars’ – given by the CQC to filthy, rotten Homes and Hospitals, demonstrate just how corrupt this organsiation is.
Cheerio Baroness Young – you have added your own stamp to the evil and cruelty happening in Care Homes.
Your brief diversion in now over – except it is not a game or source of distraction or amusement for the wretched, anguished and desperate residents of care homes. It wasn’t so much a Genesis as an Exodus for you; However, elderly and vulnerable people are well rid of you.
Dee Sedgwick Mrs.