CQC figures reveal sharp rise in serious care home injuries

The number of serious injuries suffered by care home residents has almost doubled in the past seven years, according to CQC data.

Analysis of the data by The Sunday Telegraph revealed that reports of serious injuries, including deaths, rose to 43,594 in 2018 from 23,709 in 2011.

Former health minister Sir Norman Lamb told the Express: “The truth is that the social care system is living on borrowed time with wholly inadequate resources to guarantee high quality care for all.

“The result is that we are witnessing too many failures of care.

“This is intolerable in a civilised society.

“We must be judged by how we care for our most vulnerable citizens.”

The rising trend in serious injuries looks set to continue in 2019 with 14,600 incidents reported in the first three months.

Of the sample of 12,800 care homes, 20 recorded at least 150 injuries.

Age UK director Caroline Abrahams said most care home providers were doing their best in a challenging environment.

“The reality is they are trying to navigate a perfect storm caused by cuts to local authority social care budgets and chronic workforce shortages,” she said.