Q&A I wanted them to suspend fees for


a year to help with issues of funding for care providers, and I think they could have been more helpful to help solve the problems at the beginning. But, like the government, they have changed during the year. They have been a bit more


understanding, inspections have been suspended again. And I think they have understood the need to be more of a help to providers than a hindrance. Like during a wartime situation, the most important things should take precedence. So, standards of care must always come first but if we can be freed a little from the shackles of bureaucracy, even if just short-term, it would help at a time when it is all hands to the pump.


TCHE: How could the CQC be more helpful to the social care sector?


MP: They need to be a critical friend to government and care providers with more power to challenge commissioning and low-cost care. I would like to see the CQC have more


teeth in terms of being able to challenge local authorities and national government, to challenge the funding of social care.


TCHE: How has Saint Cecilia’s adapted to the pandemic in terms of the physical environment?


MP: We quickly followed all the government guidelines and went further with a lockdown before it was recommended. We also introduced very tight cleanliness, PPE, and a social distancing regime. One of our homes became a


designated setting, and we dedicated a floor to be secure to care for


discharged Covid-19 patients. We made changes by putting in some separate accommodation, entrances and exits. For converted homes, it is difficult to


meet infection control standards and I would like to see more government assistance to make our accommodation more fit for purpose. Take testing for visitors, for example.


If the government wanted us to have a separate room for that with separate entrance and exit, we do not have such a room where staff come in one way and the residents come in another way. Adaptations have been needed but the grants available insufficient. That brings us onto VAT. Being VAT-


rated is a thorn in the side of the care sector. We would like it to be zero-rated. Perhaps as a halfway house, if you wanted to make critical changes to your existing home to improve the quality of accommodation by refurbishment, that should be done without having to pay VAT. I would like to refurbish one of our


homes internally but, as it is not a new build, I would have to pay 20 per cent VAT on top of the cost. Even five per cent or ten per cent would be great compared to 20 per cent.


TCHE: What lessons can the care home operators learn from the pandemic in terms of future care home design/ changes to the physical environment?


MP: The pandemic will have made all care providers question many things about the care they provide, and all will have learned about their response to major pandemics. There might be lessons for cleanliness,


PPE and the need for purpose-built premises that are easier to adapt to visiting requirements.


TCHE: You are chairman of the Independent Care Group, one of a plethora of British care organisations. Do you worry there are too many representative organisations in the care sector but not enough unity of message?


MP: It is a sensitive subject. For the 30 years and more that I have been involved in the sector, there have been discussions about merging but it has never quite happened. I think there is room in the market for all but one of the reasons we are weak with our lobbying with the government is there are too many organisations, we are too disparate. This is no criticism of those


organisations, as they are doing a fantastic job. But I do think there could be more unity and a stronger single voice, or two voices coming together, so we can be as strong as, for example, the BMA. When the government hears from the


BMA it listens, when it hears from us – and I’m not criticising my colleagues – I don’t think we always get the same attention because we are not as powerful as a single body that drives things forward, as we could be. Until it happens, we will always be


slightly on the back foot. Having one or two national organisations perhaps would be better. In any case, there are still too many care


providers who are not part of any care organisation. If every care provider joined an association, we would be stronger. I would like to see a national body with regional branches like the Federation of Small Businesses or the Institute of Directors. I think we could have a stronger voice if we all came together under a single body for the greater good. I think it will happen, though it may take some time to come to fruition.


TCHE: Any final thoughts?


MP: I would like to see social care better recognised by the public. Our image nationally needs changing. The word ‘social’ seems to have negative connotations as if it is only for people who are poor. It’s not. It’s for everybody and we’ve got to make sure our reputation is better, and our voice is heard. The vast majority of care providers


and their staff are doing a fantastic job and deserve far greater recognition. The time has come for all of us to stand up and shout up for social care!


16


TCHE www.thecarehomeenvironment.com • March 2021


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