Care home rated inadequate over safety concerns

The inspection was prompted by concerns from the local authorities

A Nottinghamshire care home has been rated as inadequate after residents were found to be at "serious risk of abuse", including one reporting being hit twice.

Charnwood Care Home, in Carlton, was inspected in the summer after concerns were raised by local officials around medication, staffing and poor management.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) found inexperienced staff, incidents of physical harm to residents and inadequate measures to deal with hot weather.

The care home has also been placed in special measures, issued with two warning notices and told to formulate an action plan to make sure people are protected correctly.

Failing areas

Charnwood Care Home, run by Divine Rock Care Limited, can support up to 88 people, though during the inspection there were 37 residents.

The inspection - the first since it registered - was prompted by serious concerns raised by the local authority and Integrated Care Board (ICB), said the CQC.

It found four breaches of regulation, including concerns around safe care and treatment, safeguarding, consent, and management.

As well as the home being rated inadequate overall, it received the same rating for the categories of being effective, caring, responsive and well-led.

It has been rated requires improvement for being safe.

Abuse risk

Steven Paisley, CQC deputy director of operations in the Midlands, said people living at the home "weren’t receiving safe, dignified or person-centred care".

“People weren’t always safe from abuse," he said. "One person told us staff were rough when caring for them which had caused bruising.

"Staff had recorded this bruising two months ago, however, hadn’t taken any action to refer it to the safeguarding team.

"Another person explained that a staff member had hit them twice. We reported this to the management team to investigate but when we returned two days later, little action had been taken.

"This put people at serious risk of abuse."

'Significant progress'

During hot weather, inspectors found temperatures in the building were more than 30C (86F) and there was no plan in place to protect them.

While some people were given ice lollies, others, including those with diabetes, were not and nothing else was offered.

However the home was noted as being clean, medicines were managed safely and staff had access to personal protective equipment.

A spokesperson for Charnwood Care Home said the CQC's feedback had been taken "very seriously" with the appointment of new management and extra staff.

"Since their inspectors visited our care home four months ago, we have made significant progress in addressing the areas identified as needing improvement, many of which stemmed from the home’s previous ownership," they said.

"During this first year of ownership of the care home we have introduced new digital care planning and record-keeping systems."