Study examples of good as well as poor care in Warwick and Leamington

Christine Asbury of WCS Care was pleased that many took the opportunity to attend an open day at Woodside in Spinney Hill, Warwick, last Friday.

But behind the happy faces, Ms Asbury fully accepts that continued media scrutiny does have a role to play in the care industry nationally.

It has not only led to faster recognition and response to poor treatment but more stringent recruitment, better staff training and a far greater understanding of dementia.

Ms Asbury added: “The flip side of negative publicity is that people hear much more about what’s gone wrong than about what the vast majority of carers get right.

“Publicising examples of poor practice is important because it serves as a reminder to everyone that poor care is never acceptable.

“But the majority of homes are of high quality, warm and caring. We are often told that moving into a care home is one of the best decisions people ever make at a time of great need. Many who visit us are surprised by what they see.”

* WCS Care is currently working in partnership with Age UK Warwickshire to to recruit and train volunteers to visit homes and report back on residents’ quality of life.