'Harrowing' care review makes 34 recommendations

A Serious Case Review (SCR) into a care home run by Southern Cross has made more than 30 recommendations in a bid to prevent the "institutional abuse" that coroners found contributed to the death of five elderly residents.

Read: Care home criticised for 'top down' abuse of residents

The SCR, commissioned by West Sussex Adult Safeguarding Board, made 34 recommendations in its answers to a series of questions asked by the family members of those who died at Orchard View, and how regulations can be improved. Key recommendations include:

• It should be a requirement for care businesses to prove they can recruit and sustained skilled staff
• Relatives should have a named point of contact within homes
• Concerns over safeguarding should be escalated outside the care home, if not dealt with promptly and properly

• Emergency services should have named contacts so they can access care home more easily
• Care providers should be contractually required to hold open meeting with residents and their relatives on a regular basis - a local authority representative should be invited to this and minutes should be shared

Read: Relatives call for 'dramatic changes' to care homes