8 September 2014
During an inspection in response to concerns
Is the service safe?
We asked one person whether they felt safe living at the home and they told us that they did not and said they felt "scared." This person did not tell us why but we informed the local authority and action was immediately taken to help this person.
We found that people were placed at risk due to very poor standards of cleanliness and hygiene in their rooms including flies and rodent droppings in two rooms and a lack of maintenance to the home environment. No infection control or health and safety audits had been undertaken. We found risks to people's health from their living conditions. Some bedroom locks did not work so people had no privacy. One person said he did not feel safe as he could not lock his door.
These issues are being followed up and we will report on any action when it is complete.
Is the service effective?
We spoke with one person who told us that they were satisfied with the support they received at the home. The other three people said they were unhappy at the home. They said, "It's disgusting, " "Can you get me out of here?" and "I haven't liked it since the day I moved here." Two of the four people asked us if we could help them leave the home.
We found people had support to meet their health needs. Staff escorted people to medical appointments to support them. We found there had been insufficient support from staff for people with their personal grooming and keeping their rooms clean. These issues are being followed up and we will report on any action when it is complete.
Is the service caring?
We spoke with one person living at the home and they told us 'It's alright.' We observed sensitive interactions between staff and people living at the home.
Is the service responsive?
People had their individual needs assessed and had a care plan which reflected their individual needs. However we found that care plans did not address all relevant health conditions for which people needed support. We also found that information provided in people's care records did not appear to be accurate with regard to support provided with cleaning their bedrooms. Therefore people could not be assured that their changing needs would be responded to appropriately.
These issues are being followed up and we will report on any action when it is complete.
Is the service well-led?
Staff told us they had not been paid their full salary and did not have contact details for the director of Msasa Care Ltd. They had requested meetings with the director which had not taken place. The manager had not been working in the home recently, there was insufficient money provided for the running of the home and no supervision was provided for the home's deputy manager.
There were no quality assurance audits undertaken by the provider as evidence that he was monitoring the quality of care provision within the home and any risks to people living there. The provider also failed to notify CQC of three changes to the sole director of Msasa Care Ltd. People were not supported by a well led and safely managed service. These issues are being followed up and we will report on any action when it is complete.