Care home owner disputes 'inadequate' rating

Cottage Residential Care Home in Brightlingsea had a "significant lack of oversight and management of governance systems", inspectors said

The owner of a care home said a health watchdog that rated it inadequate said they were "repeatedly told our care is fantastic".

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) said Cottage Residential Care Home in Brightlingsea, Essex, had a "significant lack of oversight and management of governance systems".

Inspectors said that the managers did not demonstrate the necessary skills, knowledge, or experience to ensure the safety and well-being of people using the service.

Andrew Bellhouse, one of the care home's proprietors, said the investigation had cast them in a "bad light" during a period of change.

The CQC report highlighted that one person at the home had fractured their hip in September 2022, but it had not been reported to safeguarding authorities or the CQC.

Another incident resulted in a person falling and hitting their head, sustaining a cut to their head, but there was no recorded medical advice, and no report had been made to either safeguarding authorities or CQC, reports the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

But inspectors said that while not everyone at the service could speak to them, one person said they liked living there.

Bedrooms were personalised and staff knew residents well.

'Real, loving, independent'

Mr Bellhouse said the home had some residents who had been under its care for more than 35 years.

"We are not a big company; we are a real, loving, independent care home with lovely staff who have been working for us for more than 10-20 years and longer," he said.

"Our previous inspections have all been good. This one occurred during a period of big change for us."

He added the home was in the process of relocating to a "more accessible home" as its current Georgian Grade II listed building was "not the most practical".

Mr Bellhouse said the home was working closely with "many professionals" to devise "more accurate person-centred care".