CQC is criticised over backlog of inspections

A CARE watchdog has acknowledged it needs to increase the rate of inspections it carries out of care homes after a backlog was identified on Teesside.

- By STUART ARNOLD Local democracy reporter

The Care Quality Commission, a statutory body, said it was “working hard to improve how we operate” after criticism of the organisation.

Another organisation, the nationally accredited Care Inspections UK, which carries out independent inspections in the care sector, said its analysis showed that, as of February 6 this year, 74 care homes across Teesside had not been fully inspected by the CQC since the start of the coronavirus outbreak in 2020.

It said more than half of care homes in Redcar and Cleveland (52%) fell into this category, followed by almost 46% in Middlesbrough and 43% in Stockton.

A CQC spokeswoman said 102 inspection reports had been published covering care homes in the region in the past four years, while in some instances inspections may have taken place, but the results were yet to be published.

In total there are 144 care homes on Teesside that were registered prior to the pandemic, plus a further 29 in neighbouring Darlington, which was also included for the purposes of the research.