14.12.15
CQC wants names of providers facing £680,000 fines for employing illegal workers
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has asked the Home Office for the names of providers who received fines totalling nearly £700,000 for illegally employing workers in the care sector.
In November, as part of Operation MAGNIFY, a Home Office-led enforcement campaign to root out illegal working, 32 illegal care sector employees were found and were served deportation papers.
The regulator noted that as the visits were made to peoples’ own homes, many of the addresses were incorrect. However, employers have been given the names of the remainder and have been told they should no longer be employed.
Seven penalty notices were issued to providers, which total £680,000 in fines. CQC has asked to be given the names of these providers as the fines indicate the provider was “either complicit to some degree in the illegal employment or at least had poor recruitment practice”.
During the week of the operation, 170 provider compliance visits were conducted with another 80 during the week before and after.
In the chief executive’s report to the CQC board this week, it was noted that there was “reasonably good” compliance with legislation, but it was found that on average there was one offender identified for ever twenty visits.
“However, the visits did identify a lack of understanding of good recruitment processes, with some providers thinking a clear DBS check meant a person had the right to work in the UK,” noted David Behan.
He added there will now be a focus on raising awareness and ongoing local liaison between the Home Office and CQC, with quarterly meetings and ongoing sharing of information. The Home Office told NHE it will be working with the CQC, but will not be publicly naming the providers at the moment.