Long Lies CQC
Long Lies and CQC Ratings: What Every Care Leader Must Know
Introduction: The Unacceptable Wait
Picture this. A resident falls in their room during the night. They can’t reach the call bell. They lie on the floor, frightened, cold, and in pain. Hours later, a carer discovers them during morning checks.
This is what’s known as a long lie. And in care homes across the UK, it remains one of the most serious risks to resident safety — and one of the clearest red flags for the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
Long lies are not just unfortunate accidents. They are a safeguarding failure, with devastating consequences for residents, staff morale, and inspection outcomes.
What is a Long Lie?
A long lie occurs when a resident remains on the floor for an extended period after a fall because no one is aware it has happened.
It could be 20 minutes.
It could be several hours.
In some cases, residents have been left overnight.
Every additional minute spent on the floor increases the risk of injury, medical decline, and emotional trauma.
Why Long Lies Happen in Care Homes
Despite the best efforts of care teams, several factors make long lies more likely:
Night-Time Staffing
Lower staff-to-resident ratios overnight make it harder to spot incidents quickly.
Limitations of Traditional Tools
- Mats: easily bypassed, prone to false alarms.
- PIR sensors: limited coverage, especially in bathrooms.
- CCTV cameras: intrusive and rarely acceptable in private spaces.
- • Wearables: often removed or forgotten.
Alarm Fatigue
Frequent false alarms desensitise staff, leading to slower responses when a genuine fall occurs.
Missed Checks
Routine checks can’t cover every moment. Even hourly checks leave 59 minutes of vulnerability.
The Consequences for Residents
The medical impact of long lies is severe:
Hypothermia: lying on cold floors, particularly overnight, can be life-threatening.
Dehydration: prolonged immobility can lead to rapid deterioration.
Pressure injuries: remaining in one position causes skin breakdown.
Rhabdomyolysis: muscle breakdown from immobility can damage kidneys.
Increased mortality: residents left after falls have a significantly higher risk of death.
Beyond the physical harm, long lies also cause:
Loss of confidence and increased fear of falling again.
Social withdrawal and reduced independence.
Trauma for families when they learn what has happened.
The Consequences for Care Providers
Long lies don’t just harm residents. They also damage care homes:
Safeguarding investigations: families or hospitals may raise concerns, triggering enquiries.
CQC inspection failures: under the “Safe” domain, inspectors see long lies as evidence of poor monitoring and unsafe practice.
Family trust broken: reputational damage can reduce occupancy.
Staff morale and turnover: carers often feel distressed and guilty knowing a resident was left too long.
In short, long lies harm people, practice, and performance.
CQC’s View on Long Lies
The CQC expects providers to:
Monitor residents effectively.
Act promptly in emergencies.
Evidence falls prevention and response systems.
When inspectors uncover long lies, reports often include phrases like:
“Systems were not effective in monitoring falls.”
“Residents were left at risk of harm.”
“We could not be assured the service was safe.”
For providers, this can mean conditions placed on registration, downgraded ratings, and in severe cases, enforcement action.
Why Traditional Systems Fail
Traditional tools were never designed to fully prevent long lies:
Bed and chair mats: trigger only when weight shifts — but don’t cover the full room.
PIR sensors: struggle with accuracy, missing slow or gradual falls.
Wearables: rely on resident compliance, which is inconsistent.
Cameras: create safeguarding concerns and reduce dignity.
These solutions leave gaps — and in those gaps, long lies occur.
Key Features that Prevent Long Lies
Instant fall detection: alerts staff within seconds of any fall.
Full-room coverage: one discreet sensor per room, including bathrooms.
Proactive prevention: bed and chair exit alerts give staff a chance to intervene early.
Real-time visibility: carers know who is in the room and what’s happening.
Evidence for CQC: every fall is logged with timestamps and response times.
Proven Impact in UK Care Homes
Homes using Silver Shield have:
Reduced response times by over 80%.
Brought long lies down to near zero.
Used Silver Shield reports to evidence improvements during CQC inspections.
Case Study: Safeguarding Confidence Restored
One UK provider faced repeated safeguarding alerts due to long lies. Residents were being discovered on the floor during morning checks, hours after falling. Families were distressed, and staff morale was low.
Within six months of deploying Silver Shield:
No resident was left on the floor for more than 2 minutes.
Families reported renewed trust in the home’s safety.
Staff said they felt “less anxious coming on shift” knowing falls would never be missed.
During their next CQC inspection, the home demonstrated clear evidence of improved monitoring and safeguarding, contributing to a more positive outcome.
“We no longer worry about what we might find in the morning. Silver Shield has given us confidence that every fall is seen, and every resident is safe.”
— Registered Manager, UK Care Home
Frequently Asked Questions
Unlike PIRs, it detects both fast collapses and gradual slides from chairs.
Silver Shield provides timestamped evidence of detection and response times, strengthening compliance with the CQC’s “Safe” domain.
Yes. Silver Shield sensors are waterproof and effective in bathrooms, where many falls occur.
No. Silver Shield reduces false positives, cutting alarm fatigue and making sure every alert matters.
Conclusion: Long Lies Are Preventable
Long lies are not an inevitable part of care. They are a symptom of outdated tools and overstretched teams.
With Silver Shield, homes can:
Detect falls instantly.
Prevent long lies with proactive alerts.
Protect residents and reassure families.
Provide inspectors with hard evidence of safe practice.
No resident should ever be left waiting. With Silver Shield, they won’t be.
👉 Book a live demo today and see how Silver Shield prevents long lies in your care home.