Nursing home under special measures for safety

The Care Quality Commission said it was "disappointed" Palm Court Nursing Home failed to address breaches found in the previous inspection

A nursing home in East Sussex has been placed under special measures to "protect residents" following a Care Quality Commission's (CQC) inspection.

Palm Court Nursing Home in Eastbourne, which provides support to older people and people living with dementia, has been rated as "inadequate".

The CQC said it found the nursing home to be in four breaches of safe care, treatment, dignity, respect and good management - which it failed to address after a previous inspection.

A spokesperson for the home said: "We responded quickly to the concerns raised by the CQC during their visit and have since kept inspectors informed of improvements including the appointment of a highly-experienced manager."

At the latest inspection in May, the CQC also found a further breach of regulations relating to staffing and recruitment.

It said due to the level of concerns found, inspectors issued two warning notices to "focus Palm Court's attention on making immediate improvements in safe care and treatment, and how the service is managed".

The CQC said it rated the home inadequate in safety, effectiveness and leadership while caring and responsiveness required improvement.

'Incredibly disappointed'

Serena Coleman, CQC deputy director of operations in East Sussex, said they were "incredibly disappointed" to find the home had "failed to address breaches identified in the last inspection".

Ms Coleman attributed the "ongoing failures" to "poor leadership".

"Leaders had failed to equip staff with proper systems and training to address known risks, leaving many persistent risks like fire safety problems unresolved," she added.

"Staff couldn't manage accidents and incidents effectively, leaving people vulnerable to falls, and injuries."

Ms Coleman said inspectors saw residents with visible bruising and wounds who "weren't receiving appropriate care".

The inspectors also found the nursing home did not "work effectively" with partners to manage residents' safety.

They also noted leaders did not investigate incidents while also not providing regular support for staff including newly-qualified nurses.

However, inspectors found staff treated people with kindness and warmth.

Employees told the CQC they were "too busy and unable to spend the time with people that they needed".

A spokesperson for Palm Court Nursing Home said: "While the recent rating does not reflect the high standards we aim to maintain, we welcome the opportunity to strengthen our care and governance of the home."

The spokesperson added the nursing home is improving "rapport with residents' families and staff" and "fostering a supportive environment".

They said the new manager is working closely with an external consultant and the Adult Social Care team at East Sussex County Council.

"We remain focused on delivering the highest quality care and we are determined to uphold the trust of residents, families and our local community," they added.