Cheshire care home 'failing elderly residents'

A care home in Cheshire has failed to protect its residents' safety and welfare, the industry regulator found.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) found that Rangemore care home in Knutsford did not meet eight essential standards.

Inspectors found that 12 residents had contracted the C. difficile bug and a 13th had a fungal infection after not being bathed.

The findings were made after inspectors visited the 49-bed home on 3 February and 22 March.

'Disappointing'

The owner has been told that he must provide plans that show he can raise standards, or the CQC could close the home.

Inspectors found that residents were at risk of not receiving their correct medicines and that they "remained at significant risk" from poor infection control.

Record-keeping and fire safety was also found to be inadequate and the manager did not have basic management skills.

CQC regional director Sue McMillan said: "We found that somebody had a fungal infection because they'd not had a bath and we found that 12 people had C. difficile because of a lack of infection control and we also found that somebody else has lost one-and-a-half stone in weight over a very short period of time.

"The care at Rangemore care home has fallen far short of the standards people have a right to expect.

"We need to ensure that people living at the home are not at any immediate risk of harm, which is why we have been working closely with Cheshire East Council, Trafford Council and Central and Eastern Cheshire PCT under safeguarding procedures.

"Despite there being some progress at the home since our initial visit in February, it is disappointing that this was only forthcoming after our and the lead councils intervention and direction.

'Extremely traumatic'

"It is clear standards require significant further improvement so we will continue to monitor this service very closely to ensure these improvements are made and sustained."

Cheshire East Council, which is the home's licensing authority, said: "We had made a series of recommendations and have requested a number of robust actions be taken by the home to address the issues we and CQC have raised.

"There have been notable and incremental improvements made in respect of fire safety, infection control and in the quality of care plans for the residents.

"The provider is also in the process of recruiting a new leadership team that will include an interim manager.

"Experience shows us that it is better to support the home and help it to improve rather than uproot extremely frail and elderly people to alternative accommodation, which can prove extremely traumatic for everyone and which can sometimes not be in their best interest."