Wollaton: 'Inadequate' care home put in special measures

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) said its inspection of Wollaton Park Care Home was, in part, prompted by concerns received over infection control

A care home in Nottingham has been put in special measures after being rated inadequate by inspectors.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) said its inspection of Wollaton Park Care Home in November was prompted, in part, by concerns over infection control.

It found the home to be "visibly dirty" in areas, with "stains and malodour" on some mattresses, bedding, flooring and furniture.

The home, run by Medina View Limited, has been contacted for comment.

The service, in Lambourne Drive, provides care for up to 40 people, some of whom may live with dementia.

In its report, the CQC said a number of rooms were "significantly unhygienic", with broken furniture and poorly-maintained equipment.

The watchdog said areas of the home were in a "state of disrepair" and could not be cleaned effectively.

Some mattresses and bedding were seen to have stains and malodour, which placed people at risk of harm from infection.

Inspectors also found prescribed pressure-relieving equipment to be worn, soiled and not marked for specific people's use.

'Wasn't a pleasant place'

The CQC also highlighted concerns around staff training that was not always up to date, and said the home "did not have an effective management structure".

Greg Rielly, deputy director of operations in the Midlands for the CQC, said: "We were disappointed to see leaders didn't understand the issues they faced, which resulted in people receiving a poor level of care.

"This wasn't a pleasant place to live for the people who called it home. We saw some areas of the home needed repairs and deep cleaning, especially people's bedrooms and communal spaces.

"We were also concerned about people's safety as leaders hadn't put effective systems in place to ensure people's individual care needs were met.

"One person had a high risk of falls, however the call bell alarm in their bedroom hadn't worked for three months, leaving them unable to call for support.

"Staff training wasn't up to date or relevant. For example, specific training in autism, mental health and epilepsy hadn't been completed."

The home will be closely monitored, and the CQC said it "won't hesitate to take action" if sufficient improvements are not made.