The list of shocking failures found at TV exposé care home
SHOCKING failures at a care home, highlighted in a TV exposé, have been confirmed by inspectors. An undercover reporter working at The Pines in Criccieth, Gwynedd last October found a patient sleeping with an emergency cord tangled around his body and neck and uncovered evidence that records were falsified.
The footage which featured on S4C’s Y Byd ar Bedwar show came barely a month after Care Inspectorate Wales said that previous concerns about the Pines had been addressed.
After learning of the findings the care home owners suspended some members of staff pending an investigation and pointed out that improvements had been carried out after the previous critical report by CIW in May last year.
But a further inspection was carried out in October immediately after S4C’s Y Byd ar Bedwar drew their attention to some of the practices at the home.
It has now been revealed that following the October inspection the home, which is registered for 38 people with dementia, was issued with four noncompliance notices and given until February 4 to put things right.
Asked to comment about the report, Meddyg Care managing director Kevin Edwards told our sister paper the Daily Post a further inspection has since been undertaken. He said an email from CIW had reported “many positive changes” and the inspector had indicated the non compliance was closed.
Mr Edwards said a final report would be available in the next few days and would be shared with staff, residents and family when it was received.
In the report that followed the October inspection, released this week, CCIW states: “We inspected the home in response to concerns reported to CIW. We found some issues need addressing to ensure the robust care and health ● An undercover S4C and safety of people reporter captured using the service. footage of a patient
“We found that allegedly tied to a other reported issues bed had been riskassessed as appropriate to people’s capacity and preferred behaviour patterns.
“We found the home was not compliant to the regulations in four areas – health and safety, safe recruitment practices, safe recruitment practices and administration of covert medicines.”
Referring to the issue of the call bell cords, the inspectors said the risk assessments were generic and not detailed enough for the individuals concerned, but the home owners told them that a new system appropriate for the residents had been ordered.
“We saw documented evidence of psychiatric and occupational therapy reviews agreeing that if people frequently put themselves on the floor reclining chairs were a danger as they could fall and injure themselves; a mattress on the floor with associated sensor mat was therefore appropriate,” says the report.
Moving and handling practices were found to be non-compliant as although staff had been trained there were no checks that they were doing things correctly. “The responsible individual informed us staff found to have poor practice would be disciplined according to the home’s policy,” says the report. The inspectors also found several examples of unsatisfactory record-keeping, with some files containing contradictory information which could result in staff being given incorrect instructions. That was described as “a serious matter”. Unsafe practices for the administration of covert medications were found, and a nurse told the inspectors that a review was needed. The non-compliance notice regarding recruitment of staff was issued because references were not taken up or not enough of them being insisted upon. “People cannot be assured of being cared for by staff who have been sufficiently checked as to their suitability to work with vulnerable adults,” the report adds.