Nicholas Parrish, managing director at Wightman & Parrish, discusses some of the fundamental issues associated with Care Quality Commission non-compliance in relation to care equipment and provides guidance for care homes on best practice
Care homes are constantly under pressure to meet new and improved regulations while adhering to strict budgets. It is a tricky balancing act for any experienced care home manager and involves all the staff acting in accordance with compliant procedures.
‘Premises and equipment’ is a fundamental standard according to the Care Quality Commission (CQC). The CQC regulation states that the equipment used when caring for people must be looked after properly and safe for use within the care home premises. However, this appears to be an area that is all too often neglected.
The maintenance of equipment such as moving aids, beds, pressure mattresses, shower chairs and trolleys can be overlooked, even though there may be maintenance contracts in place. For example, care home residents increasingly have their own slings for use with hoists and it can be a logistical challenge to get all the slings tested at the time as the hoist is tested as required by the Lifting Operations and Lifting Regulations (LOLER).1This is important as a sling is key to the hoisting process and can easily get damaged.
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