A ‘SHABBY’ Ashton care home has been placed into special measures after inspectors found it was, ‘not safe, effective or well-led.’
Bourne House, on Taunton Road, has been rated inadequate by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in its latest report.
And staffing levels were found to be below what was required, with some bringing in cleaning equipment or toiletries, untrained or not competent members giving medicines and some being on site for 24 hours to make up for a shortfall.
The inspection was prompted in part after the CQC received concerns about a variety of safety issues and information it received regarding a specific incident following which a person using the service had died.
According to the report: “This incident is being reviewed to determine whether a criminal investigation may be needed.”
Covid-19 records were also found to be incomplete as the report said: “There were no records to demonstrate that regular lateral flow testing (LFT) had been completed by staff prior to beginning their shift.
“Staff told us the provider had not asked them to complete these tests on a regular basis or was checking the results with them.
“Records did not reflect who had a current Covid-19 status and the regular checks of symptoms for both people who had tested positive for Covid-19 and those who had not was not being completed.
“Robust systems for the donning and doffing of PPE and additional hand hygiene were not evident.
“From November 11, registered persons must make sure all care home workers and other professionals visiting the service are fully vaccinated against Covid-19, unless they have an exemption or there is an emergency.
“We checked to make sure the service was meeting this requirement. We found the service did not have effective measures in place to make sure this requirement was being met.
“The provider did not have accurate records of staff’s Covid-19 vaccination status. There was no evidence of oversight of staff who had not received both doses of vaccine or who may be exempt from this condition of deployment.”
The CQC, in an inspection done in January, also blasted the way Bourne House’s 21 residents were given medicine by members of staff who were clearly trying to make up for shortfalls.
Their document adds: “There was not enough staff to meet the needs of people living in the home.
“Throughout the inspection we observed auxiliary staff providing care to people due to staffing shortfalls. We found evidence that people had received their medicines from staff that were not trained and competent in this area.
“The nominated individual attempted to fill any shortfalls in staffing with their presence on site.
This had meant they had been on site for a full 24 hours on at least one occasion.
“Medicines were not being safely managed. We found that medicines trolleys and the controlled drugs cabinet were not secure.
“We found examples were people had not received a new supply before they ran out of their medicine, and a number of medicines which had not been disposed of when they were no longer needed.
“We were not assured that people were consistently receiving their medicines as prescribed.”
Inspectors say they spokes to nine members of staff and three users while inspecting Bourne House, which is run by Medincharm Limited, which is registered as being in Telford, Shropshire.
They also reviewed a range of records including five people’s full care records and multiple medication records.
However, they say staff told them they were not confident action would be taken when shortfalls were identified, or concerns raised.
And they found a range of issues, including people not being supported safely to have their medicines and current guidance regarding good infection control practise within care homes had not been effectively implemented.
They added: “Records did not demonstrate that staff had been safely recruited and staff did not have all the training, checks of skill or support to meet people’s needs.
“Processes to ensure sufficient numbers of staff would be available as part of a contingency management plan were not robust.
“Where incidents, accidents or safeguarding’s had happened it was not clear that lessons had been learnt and action to reduce future risk had been taken.
“Systems to ensure people’s needs were met were not effective as records were not accurate and detailed. There were no clear lines for responsibility, escalating concern and ensuring actions were followed up.
“We could not be certain that people were receiving the right modified diet, as staff had not received sufficient training in this area.
“Accurate records of people’s weight were not being completed. People at risk of malnutrition were identified as needing close monitoring and weekly weights but it was not evident that this was taking place or that any weight records were accurate.
“The home was not being well run. At the time of the inspection, there was no home manager and the nominated individual was on site dealing with the day to day running of the home.
“The actions we asked the provider to take on the initial days of inspection had not been completed when we returned to the home for a third day on site.
“The provider had not completed an action plan for CQC following the last inspection. We were not assured the provider would take the necessary action to drive improvement, despite the additional daily support of the local authority quality improvement team, or that any improvements could be embedded and maintained.”
And Bourne House’s appearance was also slammed, with inspectors saying: “The home was in need of redecorating. Some areas of the home were shabby and difficult to keep clean.”
Because it has been rated inadequate, Bourne House’s owners must make improvements within six months, when it will be revisited.
If it does not, it could lose the right to run it as the CQC state: “If the provider has not made enough improvement within this timeframe, and there is still a rating of inadequate for any key question or overall rating, we will take action in line with our enforcement procedures.
“This will mean we will begin the process of preventing the provider from operating this service.
This will usually lead to cancellation of their registration or to varying the conditions of the registration.”
It is now closed down and needs to stay that way
The owner of this home is not fit to run it just like she could not run the nursery which she owns next door
A few years ago offered clised that down because of how bad it was when she was there
The people at the nursery now rent it from her and it’s doing well without her involvement
This should be a lesson that she can NEVER
Get a registration to work with elderly or children
She is not a fit person
I worked in one of those places at the side of Stamford park I’m going back about 20 + yrs thou It was also closed down because somebody reported how badly the residents were being treated There was one Guy in particular named harry. He had an hernia downstairs it looked like he had a blow up ball between his legs at the top The night staff who were on left him in his chair AL NIGHT LONG he had soiled & wet himself so when I went in at six o clock morning shift I went straight to Harry’s room to get him up dressed breakfast etc. he were crying like a baby in his day hair he was embarrassed to death I told him not to worry over it he’d be ok. That was the last straw I’d seen a lot more than that but this tipped me over the edge. What had he done to deserve to be treated like that. Nothing at all the staff involvedlved were sacked & the useless matron too I had to leave as I could not see shit like that happen but I’m so glad it were shut down. So the residents went elsewhere but probably got the fair treatment they pay for too xx