Patients not treated with dignity, watchdog says

The service provides care and support for people in their own homes or shared accommodation

A company that provides supported living services has been criticised by a watchdog for treating people without "dignity, kindness or respect".

Management at Optimum Supported Housing Limited, based in Gillingham, Kent, were also criticised by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) following an inspection.

The CQC said the service breached seven regulations in relation to person-centred care, safeguarding, safe care and treatment, need for consent, staffing, dignity and respect, and good management of the service.

Optimum, which provides people who have disabilities and mental health problems with support in their own homes or shared accommodation, has been contacted for a comment.

Following the inspection, the home's rating for the areas of safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led were rated 'inadequate'.

Serena Coleman, CQC's deputy director of operations in Kent, said the watchdog found "serious and widespread failings in leadership and management of the service".

She added: "People were not treated with dignity, kindness or respect, and they were left at risk of harm, poor care and unsafe practices."

Ms Coleman said the CQC also found "a closed culture where leaders ignored people's voices and restricted their rights and choices".

She explained: "Some people experienced unlawful restraint when staff held them against their will, leaving them distressed and unsafe."

Ms Coleman said the failure to provide safe and person-centred care meant people's "wellbeing, independence and human rights were not protected".

However, the inspection found some staff did support people to access health professionals and attend religious services, and staff sometimes supported people with their oral health.

The CQC says it has imposed "urgent conditions" on the service which stops it from supporting some people and prevents it from taking on new residents without the watchdog's prior consent.