A care home in Bromley has been rated inadequate by Care Quality Commission (CQC) for the second time and remains in special measures after failing to improve.
Archers Point Residential Home provides care for older people, some of whom are living with dementia.
CQC first placed the service in special measures following an inspection in December 2021, which found concerns about the standards of care being provided to people.
The latest inspection was carried out to assess whether improvements had been made, but the service was still found to be inadequate and did not protect people from all risks to their health and wellbeing.
As well as being rated inadequate overall following the inspection, Archers Point was rated inadequate for being safe, effective and well-led. It was rated requires improvement for being caring and responsive.
It remains in special measures, which means it will be closely monitored by the CQC to ensure people’s safety.
Louise Broddle, CQC head of inspection for adult social care, said:
“During our inspection in December, we identified a number of concerns about the care being given to people at Archers Point Residential Home. We shared clear feedback with the service about the urgent improvements needed to ensure people’s safety and wellbeing.
“Unfortunately, we haven’t found any significant changes to the standards of care and there are still widespread issues putting people at risk of avoidable harm.
“Staff weren’t giving medication at the right time and people’s nutritional needs weren’t always met, which is completely unacceptable. I am very concerned that people’s independence and dignity wasn’t always considered, and that people weren’t always involved in decisions about their care.
“Behind the failure to grasp these issues was a lack of effective leadership at the service, which hasn’t improved since our last inspection.
“The service remains in special measures and we will not hesitate to take enforcement action, which could lead to the closure of the service, if improvements aren’t swift and far-reaching.”
The latest inspection found that the premises and equipment weren’t clean or well-maintained.
Inspectors observed two first floor windows without restrictors and a broken stair gate, which meant that people were at risk of falling from height.
Wheelchairs weren’t regularly checked to ensure they were safe for residents and staff to use.
Inspectors also found risks to people weren’t always identified or assessed. There was no risk assessment in place for one person living with epilepsy, and there wasn’t up-to-date guidance in place for staff on what to do should this person become unwell.
Do not attempt to resuscitate (DNAR) forms weren’t completed or signed, which meant that people’s wishes relating to resuscitation may not be adhered to.
Nutritional risks weren’t managed effectively, One person had lost a significant amount of weight, and hadn’t been referred to the relevant healthcare professionals as their risk of malnutrition hadn’t been correctly measured.
People didn’t always have a choice about their care, and those living at the service couldn’t choose when to shower or bathe. Care records didn’t clearly detail what people were able to do for themselves, so they weren’t well supported to maintain their independence.
However, people living at the service told CQC that they felt safe and that staff were caring. Staff had completed safeguarding training and knew how to protect people at risk of abuse.
Staff also worked closely with other organisations to ensure that people living at Archers Point had access to the full range of healthcare services including GPs, opticians, chiropodists and dentists.