CSCI could carry out snap inspections of councils

The government may instruct the Commission for Social Care
Inspection to carry out snap inspections of councils if providers
complain about fees, potentially undermining its drive to cut
regulation, writes Mithran Samuel.

Ladyman

Community Care minister Stephen Ladyman told care providers that
CSCI should act on their complaints about low fees for care by
inspecting how councils commission services.

He told today’s annual long-term care for older people
conference: “If you say to CSCI we are being hammered on
price the CSCI has the power to inspect the council.

“In my view they should immediately go and inspect the
council’s commissioning processes and work out whether the
council has a commissioning system that provides a fair rate for
care.”

His comments call into question CSCI’s commitment to cut
the burden of regulation on both councils and providers and make
inspection proportionate to risk.

Despite a number of comments from providers about low fees, the
conference heard fee inflation had increased significantly since
2000, doubling in the case of non-nursing care homes from 4% to 8%
per year.

However, Laing & Buisson director William Laing, who
presented the figures, suggested the trend was unlikely to
continue.