CQC requires immediate improvement at a care home in Cumbria

29 January 2014

CQC requires immediate improvement at a care home in Cumbria

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is taking action to protect the safety and welfare of people living at Meadow Bank Nursing Home in Curthwaite, Wigton, Cumbria.

In a report published today, CQC inspectors identify the findings from an unannounced inspection of the home which took place in November 2013. This inspection was carried out as part of CQCs scheduled inspection programme for 2013/14.

Visiting inspectors reviewed a sample of care records, observed how people were being cared for, and also spoke to residents living in the home and members of staff.

CQC found that the provider, Mrs Linda Whalley, was failing to comply with national standards relating to care and welfare, cleanliness and infection control, safety and suitability of premises, requirements relating to workers, staffing, supporting workers, assessing and monitoring the quality of service provision and records management.

• Inspectors found inconsistencies in record keeping and the care being offered to people living in the home.
• Staff working in the home lacked understanding of current good practice in relation to infection control. This meant that people were at higher risk of unsafe care or treatment.
• A number of people newly admitted to the home did not have care plans in place to ensure staff knew how to fully meet their needs. In some cases this had caused a deterioration in people’s health and wellbeing such as the development of pressure sores.
• Staff were not adequately monitoring fluid and food intake for people who were identified at high risk of malnutrition.
• Risk assessments were not always in place for falls prevention in relation to someone who had been identified at high risk of falling.
• There was not enough space in living areas to accommodate all of the people living in the home. Where space was limited, equipment was found cluttering the home increasing the risk of falls to vulnerable people.
• The home was cold with insufficient heating for people living in the home to keep warm.

As a result of the inspection, CQC has issued two formal warnings to the provider requiring improvements in relation to cleanliness and infection control and assessing and monitoring the quality of service provision in the home.

The home must also take action to address shortfalls against the additional six standards that are not being met.

Malcolm Bower-Brown, CQC’s Regional Director for the North said:

“We were extremely disappointed to find these shortfalls against national standards at Meadow Bank Nursing Home and have warned the provider that immediate improvements must be made.

“We continue to monitor the situation carefully and we will inspect again in the near future to ensure residents are being given the service they are entitled to expect.

“If we find the home has not made the required improvements we will consider the need for further regulatory action to ensure that residents receive the service they are entitled to expect.”

Any regulatory decision that CQC takes is open to challenge by a registered person through a variety of internal and external appeal processes

Ends

For further information please contact the CQC Regional Communications Team, David Fryer 07901 514 220 or Kirstin Hannaford 0191 233 3629.

The CQC press office can be contacted on 0207 448 9401 or out of hours on 07917 232 143.

NOTES TO EDITORS

CQC has published full reports for Meadow Bank Nursing Home on the website here.