ALMOST 40 per cent of elderly care homes in Oldham are in need of improvement, a damning report has revealed.

The borough is named as one of the 20 worst authorities in the country for the number of care homes — 36.8 per cent — failing to meet at least a good standard.

The figures were revealed in Independent Age’s report Care Home Performance Across England, which is based on Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspections of care homes. The report was released as Greater Manchester celebrated becoming the first age-friendly city region in the country.

Last year Oldham had 48.6 per cent of care homes rated as inadequate or requires improvement.

It was one of six authorities in Greater Manchester to be among the 20 worst authorities in the country for the number of care homes which are not good enough.

John Rouse, chief officer for Greater Manchester Health and Social Care (GMSC) Partnership said care home quality is improving across Greater Manchester.

He said: “There is no doubt that the scale of improvement across our homes is a challenge for Greater Manchester, however, we can also see that care home quality is improving.

“Back in January 2017, only 50 per cent of Care Home Beds were in the CQC ‘outstanding’ or ‘good’ categories.

“This had increased to 60 per cent in December 17.

“This means that 1,580 more Care Home beds are ‘Outstanding’ or ‘Good’ compared to 12 months ago, still nowhere near good enough but signs are that devolution is having an impact.

“In the North West ADASS report, when analysing all 151 Local Authorities in the country, 5 of the top 15 most improved in 2017 are in Greater Manchester. In addition Care Home quality in Greater Manchester is improving, and at a faster rate than the national average and more than any other sub-region in the North West.

“Working with the Care Homes sector the GMHSC Partnership are supporting significant changes to ensure the quality of residential and nursing care homes continues to improve, with better access to health care in care homes, developing new ways of working for example the ‘teaching care homes model’, establishing a quality framework, and identification of best practice in care homes, as part of the wider adult social care transformation programme in Greater Manchester.”

Oldham Council said it takes reports of poor care very seriously and was transforming the way its health and social care services are delivered.

They said that the quality of Oldham's care homes has increased by 17 per cent since January 2017.

Mark Warren, Oldham Council's director of adult care said: “We take reports of substandard care very seriously. The care of our vulnerable residents is our main priority and we work with local providers and a range of partners including CQC, Oldham CCG and Pennine Care Foundation Trust to address areas of concern, plus develop and monitor action plans to raise standards.

"Thanks to this work, since January 2017, the quality of Oldham’s care homes has increased by 17 per cent and I am pleased to say there are no care homes in Oldham now rated as inadequate. We will continue to support providers to make improvement this year through a series of quality focussed workshops as well as introducing a refreshed quality assurance and risk management framework to monitor the providers and ensure they comply with our recommendations.

"In Oldham we are transforming the way our health and social care services are delivered, bringing teams together to work in local, geographical clusters. This approach will allow these teams to work even more closely with care providers to deliver good quality, safe services that our residents deserve."

The CQC pledged to continue tackling poor care, encouraging improvement and increasing awareness about the quality of care that exists.

Andrea Sutcliffe, chief inspector of adult social care at the CQC, said: “People can be reassured that most care homes in England are meeting the ‘Mum Test’ – care we would be happy for anyone we love to receive. But as the report from Independent Age demonstrates, and we have reported in State of Care, people’s experiences of care can vary across the country meaning this is not the case for everyone.

“This variability continues to persist and is a real concern. It means people living in these services cannot rely on consistent, good quality care, which is what they and their families have every right to expect.

“CQC will continue to tackle poor care, encourage improvement and increase public awareness around the quality of care that exists. But the adult social care system as a whole – commissioners, providers and their staff, government and other national bodies – all need to take this problem of variation in quality seriously.

“By working together, we have got to ensure that quality really matters.”

Below is a list of care homes across Oldham that have been given an overall rating of requires

improvement by the CQC in 2017 and 2018:

Abbey Hey Care Home, Glodwick

Royley House Care Home, Royton

Care at Parkside, Featherstall

Chadderton Total Care Unit

Limited, Chadderton

Brierfields, Failsworth

Hadfield House, Glodwick

Springfields, Spring Hill

Stoneleigh House, Springhead (as of Jan 2018 Stoneleigh House rated Good)

St George’s Nursing Home

(Oldham), Moorside

Firs Hall Care Home Limited,

Failsworth

Edge Hill Rest Home, Royton

Handsale Limited - Treelands Care

Home, Fitton Hill