CQC places Northamptonshire care home into Special Measures

Published: 17 June 2015 Page last updated: 12 May 2022
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The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has placed Brockfield House in Wellingborough, Northampton into special measures following an inspection in April.

During the unannounced inspection, CQC found the provider was failing to provide care which was safe, effective, caring, well-led and responsive to people’s needs.

Under CQC’s programme of inspections, all adult social care services are being given a rating to help people choose care. Overall, Brockfield House has been rated as Inadequate.

A full report from the inspection has been published on the CQC website.

CQC found that the home lacked a consistent and stable management which resulted in a disorganised and fragmented approach to care provision and operational leadership.

Despite good levels of staff capacity being maintained, the home was being staffed by new or agency staff. They lack the day to day experience and knowledge of people’s needs in order to care for them consistently and safely. Leadership was absent or inconsistent on a day to day level and this impacted on the allocation of care duties and the monitoring people’s health and wellbeing.

Several people living in the home were observed in a state of poor cleanliness. Records describing the care given to these people were incomplete and portrayed a picture of a general lack of care.

In addition, there were people living at the home at risk of not eating and drinking enough. Inspectors observed people on bed-rest at risk of dehydration. Fluid monitoring charts were in place but illustrated people had drunk little fluid and did not state how much fluid was needed or when.

Sue Howard, CQC’s Deputy Chief Inspector of Adult Social Care said:

“It is essential that Brockfield House takes action to address the concerns we identified at this inspection. The provider has a responsibility to ensure that people living at the home are safe and protected from the risk of harm. All people living at Brockfield House have a right to receive care which is of a high quality, compassionate and safe.

"When we are faced with a residential or nursing home failing their residents, our first instinct is to make sure the service improves.

"Since these concerns were first raised, we have been working closely with Northamptonshire County Council and other agencies. We have placed this service in special measures and are taking further action in relation to this provider.

“We will re-inspect the home within six months to check whether sufficient improvements have been made. If sufficient improvements have not been made and there remains a rating of inadequate for any key question or overall, we will take further action which may include cancelling the registration of the service.”

Ends

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Find out more

Read our reports on Brockfield House.

About the Care Quality Commission

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is the independent regulator of health and social care in England.

We make sure health and social care services provide people with safe, effective, compassionate, high-quality care and we encourage care services to improve.

We monitor, inspect and regulate services to make sure they meet fundamental standards of quality and safety and we publish what we find to help people choose care.