The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has found that young people with physical disabilities or illnesses, who rely on therapies and treatments, do not always receive the necessary care and support when they move on to adult care services.
The regulator's report, From the Pond into the Sea finds that there are a number of problems with the transition process, with some children’s services stopping before their equivalent adult services have started.
And it said families have been left “confused and distressed” by the lack of information and support given to them.
Steve Field, chief inspector of general practice in England at the CQC, said there is “no excuse” for providers and commissioners of care to ignore national guidance that has been in place for the last ten years that supports young people moving from children’s to adult services.
"Despite plenty of guidance being available on what good transition planning and commissioning should look like, there continues to be a significant shortfall between policy and practice,” Field said.
“There is no excuse for people not receiving the care they need.
"It is unacceptable that young people and their families are being excluded from planning and decision-making about their care and for them to be without essential services or equipment temporarily, while arrangements are resolved.
"While our review found many committed professionals who provide excellent care, there needs to be a system-wide change, with commissioners and providers of health and social care working together at every level.”
As part of CQC’s new approach to inspection – due to begin in October – the regulator will investigate transition arrangements when it visits primary and community healthcare services.
Its findings will be reflected in the overall rating it awards to services.
The CQC has called for:
- Commissioners and providers of services to involve, listen to, and learn from young people and their families about what they want from their care
- Existing national guidance to be followed so young people are appropriately supported
- GPs should be more involved, and at an earlier stage, in planning for transition
- Adult services to be tailored to meet the needs of young people transferring from children’s health services – include extra training for healthcare staff in caring for young people
Care minister Norman Lamb said services for young people with disabilities and long-term health needs should not face a cliff edge once they reach 18.
“The transition process needs to be better,” he said.
“I strongly support the clear statement of principles from the CQC and I welcome the fact that with their new more robust inspection regime, there will be consequences for providers in terms of the rating they receive if these principles are not followed."
