Date: 28 October 2011

Hundreds of hospitals and care homes nationwide face unannounced spot checks under plans to identify problems. The spot check initiative comes as a direct result of a report by the Care Quality Commission which raised serious concerns about the treatment of elderly patients.

The latest wave of inspections will cover 50 hospitals, 150 centres housing people with learning disabilities, and 500 elderly care homes. The CQC will focus on "core dignity issues" such as privacy and standards of nutrition.

Sharon Allison, a medical injury lawyer at Ashton KCJ says: “There are lots of instances of first class care within the NHS, however there is also continuing evidence of basic care needs, especially in the most vulnerable groups such as the elderly and mentally disabled, falling well below what patients should be entitled to expect. Any initiative to drive up standards has to be a step in the right direction”.