Warning to care home where resident fell 12 times

One resident at Dalemain House fell 12 times, the CQC found

A resident at a care home fell 12 times but no plans were put in place to prevent it happening again, an inspection found.

Dalemain House in Southport was reviewed by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and issued with two warning notices over concerns about how safe people living there were.

The CQC said the inspection was carried out because of an "emerging risk", and three breaches of legal regulations on care and governance were found.

The home, which cares for 19 people, some of whom have dementia, has been approached for comment, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Inspectors who visited the Westcliffe Road home between 3 July and 25 July said they found "some aspects of the service were not always safe and there was limited assurance about safety".

"There was an increased risk that people could be harmed," they added.

They said that "a review of accidents and incidents showed one person had 12 falls between January and April 2025".

"However, no effective internal analysis was completed to identify trends and causes to prevent further falls.

"We identified some accidents, incidents, and safeguarding concerns had not been reported to CQC when required," the report said.

Risk assessments were said to not be regularly updated or fit people's current needs.

The CQC also criticised Dalemain House governance systems, adding: "In some cases, they failed to notify CQC about incidents and safeguarding concerns.

"The service has operated without a registered manager since 2021; this concern was highlighted in the previous assessment which was carried out in 2022."

But inspectors found staff were caring and compassionate and demonstrated a good understanding of people's needs.

"Their interactions with people were positive, and they collaborated effectively with other agencies to ensure consistent care," the report added.

Overall, the CQC said Dalemain House was responsive to feedback following its assessment and had already taken some action.