The bigger the care home group, the worse its performance, is the broad rule from data we’ve sourced from the UK’s Care Quality Commission, which sheds light on the country’s on-going social care crisis.

Analysis by Healthcare Europa found that up until 26 September 2016, over 27% of homes that were rated within the top fifty groups, were described as “required improvement” or “inadequate”.  Just 13 from over 3,000 homes owned by the top 50 scored “outstanding”. Out of all the 200 plus chains some 20% “required improvement” or were “inadequate”.

Out of the top five chains, only Voyage Care, which primarily does specialist disability care, had 90% of its homes rated as good or outstanding. Others were much worse.

Over 40% of all homes rated at Four Seasons (total 239) and Bupa (total 215) required improvement or were inadequate, with this damning adjective applied to 5% of Bupa’s rated estate. In fact, out of all the top 50, Bupa alone owns over 16% of the 67 inadequate homes!

In the current environment, with living wages and tougher inspections by the CQC, it’s the big chains that are really struggling.