Private providers must show star quality

Almost one-third of private care providers in England are only adequate or poor, according to a new star rating system by the Commission for Social Care Inspection.

The system gives zero to three stars to care homes and domiciliary care agencies in England, based on whether they have been found to be poor, adequate, good or excellent.

CSCI said the ratings would enable the public to compare the quality of care providers in an area for the first time, and it expected local councils to “check providers’ quality ratings before purchasing care on behalf of the people they serve”.

The Commission has always inspected all private providers, but previously published star ratings only for council services.

About 13% of providers were awarded three stars, 57% two stars, 24% one star and 3% – around 750 providers – were given zero for a poor service.

CSCI chair Dame Denise Platt said: “Around 70% of all registered providers have achieved an excellent three star or good two-star rating.”

She said the ratings were “an incentive for the poorest to improve, or risk losing business in a competitive marketplace”.