Staffordshire care shake-up to include ‘name and shame’ policy

RADICAL new proposals aimed at revolutionising and improving adult social care in Staffordshire have been unveiled.

Matthew Ellis, the cabinet member for adults and wellbeing on Staffordshire County CouncilPaying more than the minimum wage to staff, publicly naming organisations and businesses providing poor care, promoting the status of carers and professionalising the caring industry are outlined as part of a two-year review.

The measures are detailed in “A Revolution in Care Quality” — a Staffordshire Green Paper from the county council.

Matthew Ellis, cabinet member for adults’ wellbeing, said the paper, which is being issued for both regional and national debate, promised to shape the quality of care for the next generation.

He said: “There has been a lot of debate nationally about quality of care, but the time for talking is over.

“It is more than time we took action to demonstrate as a country that we truly value the elderly and more vulnerable members of our community and that we value too the people who we entrust with their care.

“Families need to make informed choices and it is disgraceful, for example, that it is easier to find out about complaints regarding your local takeaway than it is about a company caring for a loved-one.

“We also need to move away from the menial pay mindset and promote caring as a well-paid career choice if we are serious about improving the whole experience of care in the UK — and this is what this paper seeks to deliver.”

Recommendations in the paper on quality include:

Naming organisations — both care providers which have been the subject of upheld complaints or cases in which the council has suspended contracts.

Making caring a career choice backed up with qualifications, greater training and a decent wage for employees.

Rewards for providers of excellence and fostering a ‘zero tolerance’ policy for those who fail to improve.

‘Mystery shopper’ style spot checks as part of monitoring controls.

Councillor Ellis said: “We already deliver some of the highest standards of adult care in the UK, but we think it is time to get even tougher with the minority of providers who fail to deliver the quality of care which families not only expect, but have an absolute right to.”

Further information about the proposals is available by visiting www.staffordshire.gov.uk/greenpaper