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Quality Checkers

What are Quality Checkers?

Quality Checkers are groups of people with disabilities who assess the quality of care homes in a local area. Quality checkers visit a number of homes and discuss the quality of care with residents, both in focus groups and on an individual basis. Throughout the checks, they make notes of the areas the residents are happy with and the things that could be improved. Their findings are then presented to the care home manager, with an Improvement Plan for them to action.

The issues discussed relate to the cleanliness or the home, the approachability or staff, the attention paid to the needs and rights of individuals and the extent to which residents are offered choice and control in their lives. Quality Checking raises a number of important issues which are then discussed with care home managers.

Examples of problems identified by Quality Checking services include communication issues, where residents using Sign Language are unable to communicate with staff who do not have this skill. In cases such as these, the thoughts and opinions of residents using Sign Language are not able to be considered. Quality Checking services identify problems such as these and are able to increase awareness amongst care professionals.

VoiceAbility has run Quality Checking services in Surrey and Richmond. The Surrey service was the first to be established and impressed the Local Authority so much that the council now incorporate Quality Checking into their best practice standards for care homes. Additionally, the success of the service in Surrey encouraged Richmond Local Authority to introduce Quality Checking in their local area, with training provided by the Surrey team.

If you would like VoiceAbility to set up an quality checker service in your area, please contact Paul Morrish at paul.morrish@voiceability.org.