Care for the elderly in Havering boosted by positive reports

Just days after the Care Quality Commission (CQC) noted the Council's improvements in its adult social care by saying it was performing well, Havering Council can announce that the same organisation has rated all the borough's care homes as good or excellent.

Last week the CQC released a damning report about the state of the country's care homes.  It found that more than 10,000 people are living in squalid conditions and receiving inadequate care, and CQC has threatened to close 400 homes unless they are improved immediately.

But in Havering, 13 care homes are rated as excellent (three star), while the remaining 22 are rated as good (two star). None of the borough's homes are rated as poor or inadequate.

Havering's assessment rating for adult social care makes it one of the fastest improving Councils in the country and the CQC praised significant improvements such as the engagement with carers and the voluntary sector and how services are commissioned.

Cllr Steven Kelly, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, said:  "I am delighted that as well as the improvements being made across adult social care in Havering, all our care homes are in the top two ratings issued by the CQC.

"Our staff work hard to support and care for the borough's elderly population and these results reflect their achievements. I'd like to thank all staff for the effort they have put in to make this possible.

"We know there is more work to do and we are particularly focussing on giving people greater choice in deciding what care they need. We have a programme in place to make these changes and will continue to improve the service we offer to all vulnerable people."

Indumati Lakhani, manager of Cranham Court Nursing Home which was rated as excellent by the CQC, added: "The quality of care in Havering is excellent, and we get a lot of support from Havering Council and the Care Quality Commission.

"We are very proud of our rating, it's a credit to my staff. They, along with good training, make a big difference and that's why we receive a lot of complimentary letters from relatives of the people we care for."

ENDS

Contact Claire Still, Havering Council press office, 01708 432005.

Notes to editors:

The CQC undertakes inspections of care homes depending on the current ratings, for example poorly rated (zero star) homes may be inspected more than once a year while excellent rated (three star) homes may be inspected once every three years.

In 2008 Havering had eight care homes which were not rated, three one-star homes, 22 two-star homes and four three- star homes.

For immediate release

7 December 2009