The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has taken action to cancel the registration of a care home provider in Hartlepool in response to on-going concerns with the quality and safety of care.
On 21 December 2015, the Care Standards Tribunal 'struck out' Matt Matharu's appeal against the CQC’s decision to cancel his registration with effect from 15 January 2016. The decision means that from that date, Matt Matharu will no longer be allowed to provide care services at Four Winds Residential Home, Highnam Hall and Parkview Residential Home.
The concerns were identified by CQC at the start of the year and the clear deterioration in standards since then and increased concerns regarding people's safety, mean that all three homes must close by 15 January 2016. This is in the interests of people's safety and wellbeing.
During unannounced inspections in January and February 2015, CQC's inspectors found that Mr Matharu's care homes were failing to provide care which was safe, effective, responsive or well led. All three homes were rated Inadequate. The provider was given opportunity to improve, but further inspections revealed continued failure and increased concerns.
The actions by the Care Standards Tribunal, CQC and Hartlepool Borough Council come as a result of longstanding concerns regarding Mr Matharu’s fitness as a registered provider and his continued failure to address serious concerns about the quality and safety of care provided to people living at all three homes.
Throughout these developments, CQC and Hartlepool Borough Council have been working closely together to ensure that families and relatives are kept informed and that disruption is minimal. CQC understands that Hartlepool Borough Council is liaising with the provider and is supporting residents and their relatives over the next four weeks as they find suitable alternative accommodation to meet their needs.
Full details of the inspectors' findings at all three homes have been published on the CQC website at http://www.cqc.org.uk/provider/1-101695960
Debbie Westhead, Deputy Chief Inspector of Adult Social Care at the Care Quality Commission said:
"Together with our partners, we have been forced to take action against Matt Matharu following serious and continuing concerns about the safety and welfare of people living at his three care homes.
"At the start of the year CQC inspections identified concerns regarding the safety of the premises, poor medicines management and a failure to provide care that fully met people's needs. Subsequent inspections showed that standards of care were deteriorating, despite assurances that improvements would be made.
"Clearly, Mr Matharu has let residents and their families down and this cannot go on.
"The care standards tribunal has 'struck out' Matt Matharu's appeal – importantly giving people four weeks to look for new accommodation before all three care homes must close.
"This is not a decision anyone takes lightly and we understand that all efforts are being made to minimise any disruption – however, when concerns are so serious, action must be taken to protect people from harm.
"We have been liaising closely with the council and they are currently overseeing the safe relocation of residents to alternative homes."
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Find out more
Read our reports about services run by Matt Matharu.