Measuring experience of care homes

As the Times launches its series and survey on care homes it is a good time to remind ourselves of the challenges in ensuring the voice and experience of care home residents is harnessed. But also, of the massive opportunity to improve the quality of care that could result.

The article highlights not only the scale of the challenge - but also the appalling human cost of getting things wrong. Proxies (relatives and friends) are known to be accurate reporters of healthcare experience, particularly for the elderly and those with long-term conditions. Capturing this information presents a powerful and valid way to ensure that the quality of care delivered in homes is visible and transparent - something that should be important to all of us.