11 October 2012
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has taken urgent legal action to stop a Nottinghamshire care home owner from being able to run a residential home, to protect the safety and welfare of people.
On Tuesday (9 October) CQC was successful in its application to Nottingham Magistrates Court to cancel the registration of Spring Lane Nursing Home (Lambley) Limited, with immediate effect.
This means the company can no longer legally operate a care home from its premises at Spring Lane Residential Home in Spring Lane, Lambley, Nottinghamshire.
CQC took this action because it had serious concerns about the service and the risks to people using it.
Last Friday (5 October) CQC carried out an unannounced inspection at the home following information that had come to light about the service. Inspectors were not satisfied care standards were being met and found people were at risk of receiving unsafe and inappropriate care.
Further information was received, following the inspection, that a number of residents had sustained bruising. After an initial investigation police were satisfied this was not a criminal matter and referred this to Nottinghamshire County Council, which has launched its own safeguarding investigation.
As a result of all these matters CQC decided urgent action was needed to ensure people were protected.
Andrea Gordon, Deputy Director of Operations (Central Region) for CQC, said: “The failings we witnessed at Spring Lane Residential Home were completely unacceptable. CQC took swift action to protect the safety and wellbeing of people by moving to urgently cancel this home’s registration, meaning it could no longer operate.
“Taking action leading to the closure of any service is not something that we take lightly, but when we find very poor practice, as we did in this case, we have no choice but to take action to protect the safety and welfare of people.
“This sends a strong public message that we will not hesitate to take tough action if a provider fails to meet the standards for care that everyone has the right to expect.”
Among the concerns CQC had were that there were not enough staff to deliver the care people needed and there was a lack of management and supervision at the home.
CQC has been working closely with Nottinghamshire County Council while taking action in relation to Spring Lane Residential Home. The council will now take the lead in finding those who have been living at the home the most appropriate alternative care for their needs.
Andrea Gordon added: “Our priority is always the safety of people using health and social care services and we would not take this kind of action if we did not feel there was a serious risk to people, their health and wellbeing or that the environment they were in was unsafe.”
Ends
For further information please contact Louise Grifferty, regional communications manager, on 07717 422917 or the CQC press office on 0207 448 9401 or out of hours on 07917 232 143.
Notes to editors:
CQC took action under Section 30 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 to cancel the registration of Spring Lane Nursing Home (Lambley) Limited, owner of Spring Lane Residential Home, Spring Lane, Lambley, Nottinghamshire.
All CQC’s enforcement action is subject to appeal and the provider now has a 28 day period to challenge the decision.
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