A care home in Bedfordshire has been rated inadequate for a second time by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and will remain in special measures, following an inspection undertaken in May and June.
Agate House – Care Home with Nursing Physical Disabilities, in Ampthill, Bedfordshire, provides care to people with physical disabilities, some of whom also have learning disabilities or autism. It is run by Leonard Cheshire Disability.
The service was previously rated inadequate and placed in special measures following an inspection in October 2021 which identified concerns with its staffing levels and the standards of care it 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. There were still not enough staff to safely meet people’s needs, and people weren’t supported to live independent and fulfilling lives.
As well as being rated inadequate overall following the latest inspection, the service was rated inadequate for being safe, effective, caring, responsive to people’s needs and well-led.
As Agate House remains in special measures, it continues to be closely monitored by CQC. If significant improvements aren’t made, enforcement action will be taken, which could lead to the closure of the service.
Louise Broddle, CQC head of inspection for adult social care, said:
“Following our last inspection in October, we made clear to Leonard Cheshire Disability the steps it needed to take to provide better standards of care to people.
“Unfortunately, we haven’t seen any significant improvement and our concerns about people’s wellbeing and safety remain.
“We found people spent large amounts of time alone and were left waiting for meals or for personal care because there weren’t enough staff to support them. People didn’t have the opportunity to enjoy activities or interests that would add meaning to their lives and were at risk of becoming socially isolated.
“People’s privacy wasn’t respected, and they weren’t treated with dignity. One person told us that staff wouldn’t listen to her, so she became frustrated. People were also frustrated that staff couldn’t always understand them due to lack of training, and their preferred ways of communicating weren’t always used.
“There was a real lack of person-centred care and a risk of a closed culture at this service, which is of real concern.
“We will continue to monitor the service closely and will not hesitate to take further action if we are not assured it is making the necessary improvements
The inspection found staffing levels at the service were putting people at risk of harm and staff didn’t always have the necessary skills and training to be able to meet people’s needs effectively.
People living at the service didn’t always receive kind and compassionate care. Their privacy wasn’t respected, and staff moved people in wheelchairs or put aprons around them without explaining what they were going to do.
Inspectors also found people were often left feeling bored due a lack of meaningful activity or interaction, and one person told CQC that unless a relative came to visit, they would be left in front of the television.
However, some staff members spoke about people in a kind and compassionate way and clearly knew them as individuals.
People were able to personalise their bedrooms to promote their individuality, and they were able to make some daily choices such as what to eat and drink.