Pet policies and catering are more important than CQC ratings for families searching for care, according to Autumna.
Searches carried out by care seekers on Autumna show that care homes’ pet policies, catering, and environmental commitments are scrutinised more often than CQC ratings.
While the most popular categories in 2024 were fees, room information, and admission criteria, only three per cent of searchers looked for information explaining a CQC rating.
By contrast, almost nine per cent of care seekers researched dining choices, while around seven per cent investigated the environmental commitments of care homes they were considering . Nearly four per cent looked at a home’s pet policies.
Debbie Harris, Autumna’s founder and managing director, said: “Our analysis of searches on our platform in 2024 confirms that CQC ratings aren’t relevant to those looking for care – they are too out of date and do not provide information on the criteria that matter to families.
“The fact that only one in 30 people clicked to find out more details about the regulator ratings of the care homes they were looking at highlights just how irrelevant these are for people looking for care.
“With inspections often woefully out of date – up to seven years in some cases – the CQC is failing to provide care seekers with information they can rely upon about the quality of care offered by providers. The regulator also doesn’t assess the things that matter most to families: detailed information on the type of care available, the quality of food, the range of activities, environmental policies – and whether pets are allowed.
“While we welcome the admission by the CQC’s new chief executive, Sir Julian Hartley, that the regulator is not delivering, Autumna’s insights shows that it will never be able to provide all the information that care seekers need to help them choose care – and, crucially, that providers need to be able to evidence the quality of their care, facilities and service.
“Our analysis shows that even if the CQC is able to turn itself around, the private sector will continue to have a vital role to play in ensuring care seekers can easily find information about the things that they or their loved ones need to feel truly at home in a care home.”
