Care home residents' safety 'compromised' - report

Burger Court was given a "requires improvement" rating by Care Quality Commission inspectors

The safety of residents at a Bradford care home was "compromised at times by the behaviours of others living there", a watchdog has found.

Burger Court, a residential care home supporting adults with mental health needs and learning disabilities, "requires improvement" in being safe, effective and well-led, a Care Quality Commission (CQC) report has found.

Following a visit by CQC inspectors in May, the facility, on Barkerend Road, was rated as "good" in being caring and responsive, but given an overall rating of "requires improvement".

Valorum Care Limited, which runs Burger Court and 41 other care homes and facilities across the country, said it has improved since the report was published.

According to the CQC report published on 29 November, inspectors were told that people involved with the home "had not always felt listened to and there was delay in action being taken when they raised concerns".

"However, people spoke positively of the way staff and the new manager involved them in the service," the report stated.

"People and their relatives told us they generally felt the service was safe, but this was compromised at times by the behaviours of other people living at the home."

'Treated with kindness'

While some people at the home "felt involved in planning their care", others "could not recall having any involvement", inspectors found.

Burger Court was also found to have breached two regulations relating to safe care and treatment and good governance, according to the CQC report.

"Risks associated with people's care were not assessed effectively, medicines were not always managed safely, and systems had not been effective in identifying some concerns we found during this assessment," it stated.

However, residents who spoke to CQC inspectors also said they were "treated with kindness by caring staff, who supported them to maintain their independence".

Following the inspection, Valorum Care Limited had been asked for an action plan in response to the concerns found during the assessment, the CQC report concluded.

A spokesperson for Valorum Care Limited said: "We have continued to improve since the publication of this report and have a comprehensive action plan in place that the new management team is making positive progress with."

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