Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports (1) that care home managers have not followed COVID-19 safety procedures, (2) that care home staff and residents had concerns about exposure to COVID-19 which warranted investigation by the Care Quality Commission, and (3) that care home providers may be subject to compensation claims for alleged negligence of resident and staff safety.

Many care homes have been doing an excellent job of keeping people safe.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) reduced the number of physical inspections it conducted during the crisis in order to limit the number of people going in and out of care homes. It did continue to inspect a small number of settings where serious concerns have been identified. Some of these were linked directly to concerns raised with the CQC from staff and members of the public.

Furthermore, during this crisis, Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspectors have contacted more than 80% of all providers – over 20,000 care providers – to offer support, advice and guidance, including help accessing personal protective equipment and advice on infection control.