Safeguarding: commissioning care homes
| Date | 28 September 2012 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/14668201211280233 |
| Pages | 244-247 |
| Published date | 28 September 2012 |
| Author | Elaine Cass |
| Subject Matter | Health & social care,Sociology |
Safeguarding: commissioning care homes
Elaine Cass
Abstract
Purpose – The Report on the Consultation on the Review of No Secrets, published by the Department of
Health in 2009 highlighted the need for commissioners to take more responsibility, in partnership with
regulators, for safeguarding people who use services. This article aims to focus on resources that
support the role of commissioners to maintain or improve the quality of services to reduce the likelihood
of abuse, neglect or harm.
Design/methodology/approach – The article is based on the content of two SCIE resources. The first
looks at all of the monitoring mechanisms a commissionercan draw upon to monitor good quality without
overlap with inspectors or overburdening the provider. The second looks at common areas of practice
that lead to safeguarding referrals in care homes. Working with a group of 30 practitioners, comprising
largely commissioners and providers, a guide to preventing some of the problems that frequently lead
to safeguarding referrals from care homes was developed.
Findings – The first SCIE product on which the article is based outlines the mechanisms available to
care home commissioners that can be utilised to improve safeguarding. The second, based on work
with practitioners, highlights some of the issues that frequently lead to safeguarding referrals fromcare
homes. These are often the result of poor quality services and poor practice rather than malicious intent.
The work demonstrates that commissioners could improve the quality of residential services through
better partnership working and better use of available intelligence to reduce the risk to those in
residential care.
Practical implications – There are numerous steps that both commissioners and providers can take
to improve the prevention of abuse, neglect and harm towards people in residential care.
Social implications – The guides highlighted in this article have the potential to improve practice in
commissioning and, as a consequence, to provide better quality and safer residential care services.
Originality/value – The value of the paper is to support commissioners to better safeguard people in
residential care.
Keywords Commissioning, Care homes, Safeguarding, Good quality services, Abuse and neglect,
Social care, United Kingdom, Residential social services
Paper type General review
Developments in the social care sector including personalisation, outsourcing, and a focus
on outcomes, have led to increased emphasis on the role of commissioners. Safeguarding
activity in care homes often occurs as a result of poor quality of service and poor practice
rather than malicious intent. Commissioners have the opportunity to reduce the occurrence
of abuse and neglect in care homes through the proactive promotion of safeguarding and
development of a range of good quality services. Commissioners should have an approach
to this based on the principles set out by the government:
BEmpowerment. Presumption of person-led decisions and informed consent.
BProtection. Support and representation for those in greatest need.
BPrevention. It is better to take action before harm occurs.
PAGE 244
j
THE JOURNAL OF ADULT PROTECTION
j
VOL. 14 NO. 5 2012, pp. 244-247, QEmerald Group Publishing Limited, ISSN 1466-8203 DOI 10.1108/14668201211280233
Elaine Cass is based at the
Social Care Institute for
Excellence, London, UK.
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