CQC Come Calling

Today was another ‘first’ for me. It was my first encounter with CQC and as I sit here on the usual bus ride home, I can’t help feeling that I didn’t do too bad at all.

I was at Sunshine Retirement Home again; my first visit since Christmas Eve when we put on the epic pantomime. When I arrived in the morning, the staff were raving about it still and had decided, much to the disapproval of the Manager, that the residents had had such a good time that they would like to continue with the choir through the year. They had planned the first practice for that afternoon and I promised I would pop my head in to see how they were doing.

I’d not long got back from my break when Mrs G’s daughter rushed up to me and started telling me about how the pantomime had given her Mum a new lease of life and she had decided she would like to get up that afternoon! I won’t lie, my jaw hit the floor, I was in shock. Mrs G hadn’t been out of bed for months despite us all trying to encourage her. She said she had nothing to get up for so she might as well practice sleeping as she’d soon be doing it for a long time. I stood in shock for a while – until Mrs G’s daughter told me to shut my mouth before the flys got in.

So, there I was heading towards choir practice after lunch when Sleepy Shannon came tearing up to me. Today she looked anything but Sleepy – Shocked, Scared, even Scary and started rambling on about QVC being here. I couldn’t make any sense of what she was saying but knowing the Manager and her love of shopping I could well believe that QVC were there, with their entire stock purchased. I figured I’d better go and see what was going on when the Manager herself put in a royal appearance on the nursing unit and demanded I go to her office immediately. 

I walked into the office in front of the Manager (later on I realised that I was being used as a human shield) and she introduced me to the two strangers sitting there. I couldn’t help but notice that one of them had a tiny particle of what was clearly egg mayonnaise in his beard; not noticeable to most and only by those who favour egg mayo as their everyday staple diet. I was dying to point it out but after receiving a sharp “sit down” instruction from the Manager, I simply smiled. 

Then it all turned a bit surreal. I smiled and they smiled. Mr Eggy I shall call David and the lady with him ‘Just Call Me Pat’. They explained to me that they were from the CQC (nothing to do with shopping, although the Manager may have been about to sell me down the river) and that they had received an anonymous concern that they felt duty bound to investigate.  They explained that usually they would telephone the home and discuss it with the Manager but as their calls had not been returned they had no choice but to visit. As Just Call Me Pat explained this, a frost came over her eyes as she flicked them towards the Manager. Who, I have to say, I took great satisfaction in watching turn a nice shade of lobster! 

Anyway, it turned out that the concern was about the pantomime. The caller had been concerned that we had included a resident in the performance, despite her obviously being unconscious and at the end of life. The caller was also concerned that a whole group of residents had been made to stand throughout the pantomime, shouting out in distress and everyone had just ignored them. Truth be told, I was a bit confused.

And then it dawned on me. Snow White aka Mrs G had slept throughout the entire performance and must have been the lady who the caller thought was in the last stages of her life. I absolutely assured the inspectors that Mrs G was very much alive and well. I told them how we had gained each person’s consent to appear in the pantomime and showed them the signed consent forms. I also showed them the risk assessments that we had completed (including one for the rising profiling bed) and they looked at the risk plans that we had developed to minimise the risks. I then took them to see Mrs G so that they could get a first-hand account of how much she had enjoyed playing the starring role. Turned out they were there for some time as she gave them a blow by blow account of how amazing it was and how, for the first time in years, she actually felt useful and alive.

I then offered them the chance to meet the distressed group of residents who had been made to stand. With their faces a picture of shock, I threw the door open to the music lounge just as Mrs D began her solo rendition of Edelweiss, with the rest of the group humming enthusiastically in time to her cracked vocals. It wasn’t pitch perfect, in fact, it was decidedly imperfect and it was clear how someone could mistake it for the sounds of distress. However it was also clear from every single face in that room that they were having a brilliant time, staff and residents alike. We watched for a few minutes and then quietly left the room.

Both inspectors looked a bit blown away. I’m sure they hadn’t expected that to be the outcome of their visit but I was so glad that they had seen it for themselves.

We then sat over coffee discussing the concept of positive risk taking and every single one of us needing a reason to live. We talked about other things too, including our own festive celebrations. As I waved them off, I thought to myself just how human they were. How they had their job to do, just as we had ours, but actually we all wanted the same thing and that was always the best for each person we cared for.

So, as I sit here reflecting, I make a mental note to actively contribute to the changing face of CQC. No one should feel like Shannon did and I shall enjoy telling everyone about Mr Eggy and Just Call Me Pat who called to investigate a potential death, only to find that everyone felt more alive than they’d felt for years!