Nursing home downgraded to inadequate

Inspectors said staff failed to seek medical advice on time after a resident's fall

A care home in Birmingham has been rated inadequate by inspectors after failing to meet expected safety standards.

Fountain Nursing and Care Home, on Fountain Road, was placed into special measures following an inspection by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

Its rating was downgraded from good after the body found nine breaches of regulations, despite residents and family members "generally positive" about the care.

Inspectors found that one resident, known to be at risk of falls, had sustained a head injury after falling - but staff did not seek timely medical advice or report it properly. The home has been contacted by the BBC for comment.

The care home, run by a company of the same name, provides personal and nursing care - with 26 people living there at the time of the inspection in May.

Inspectors said they were "disappointed" that the quality of care had "deteriorated considerably" since the previous inspection in 2020.

The breaches related to a raft of areas including person-centred care, dignity and respect, consent, risk management, nutrition and hydration, premises and equipment safety, staffing, and management.

Amanda Lyndon, CQC deputy director of operations in Birmingham, said the quality of leadership at the home had declined.

She said: "Our experience tells us when a service isn't well-led, they find it difficult to provide good care in the other areas we look at, which is what we found here.

"Staff and leaders didn't recognise or report safeguarding concerns to protect people from potential abuse or harm.

"We saw leaders also failed to provide sufficient guidance for staff to safely manage people's health conditions and risks. They didn't ensure staff were adequately trained and had the relevant skills and knowledge to provide safe care.

Inspectors found the manager of the service was approachable, listened to concerns and supported staff.

They also said residents and their relatives knew how to give feedback and felt comfortable raising concerns.

However the report noted that leaders "didn't provide clear information and guidance for staff" on supporting people with known health conditions.

It also said staff did not manage residents' nutrition and hydration needs "effectively".