INADEQUATE
That’s the safety inspector’s verdict of town care home that’s just been hit by fire
SAFETY at a Nuneaton care home is inadequate, according to the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
Oldbury Grange Nursing Home’s standards have slipped even further since its previous inspection and it has now been placed into special measures.
The CQC inspected the home in Hartshill and found inconsistencies in the care provided by staff.
The report, which was published last week and gave the home a rating of inadequate, said: “People and relatives felt staff “did their best” and had a caring attitude.
“Our observations showed staff did not consistently show a caring approach and did not always promote people’s dignity.”
Inspectors gave the home in Oldbury Road an overall rating of inadequate and two of the five sections were also given the lowest rating.
The safety and leadership of the home was found to be inadequate and inspectors said the effective- ness, care and responsiveness requires improvement.
At the last inspection in May 2016, the CQC was aware of a police investigation into an incident at the home in February 2016.
In January 2017, they were informed by the police that the investigation had been concluded without further action.
Previously, the home had been rated as requires improvement but when inspectors returned this year they found that planned improvements “had not been made or sustained”.
During the unannounced inspections, a number of safety risks were noticed.
The report said: “Risks to people’s safety had not always been identified or assessed and actions to minimise the risk of harm or injury to them had not been taken. Radiators in communal lounge and dining areas were so hot they could not be touched for more than a few seconds without there being a risk of burning.
“A lounge used by people who lived with dementia was left unattended by staff, and people were sat close to two very hot radiators.
“These, and other radiators in the home, posed a potential risk to people’s skin being damaged.”
There were also a number of risks found relating to residents smoking at the house.
The report added: “Two people who lived at Oldbury Grange smoked cigarettes and one person’s care notes recorded an incident of them smoking in a bathroom in the home.
“Staff had recorded this was because the person ‘forgot’ they were meant to go outside. This potentially put this person and everyone at the home at risk because the bathroom was not a designated smoking area and contained combustible waste in the bins.
“One person that smoked cigarettes showed us a burn mark on their hand and told us this was from their cigarette. They indicated to us that their hands and arms were very jerky due to their health condition.
“They also showed us numerous cigarette burn holes in their T-shirt and coat, which they had been unable to prevent from happening due to their jerky movements. “During our inspection visit we saw both people who smoked cigarettes go outside, unsupported or observed by staff, to an area not overlooked from within the home and with no means of gaining staff attention if needed. “The matron and registered manager told us they were unaware of any cigarette burn holes to this person’s clothing and a risk assessment had not been completed because they had not realised one was needed.” As the home is now in special measures, it has been told it needs to take action on how it keeps residents safe and recruits staff. It has also been told it needs to display its CQC rating. Oldbury Grange Nursing Home declined the opportunity to comment when contacted by the Telegraph.
A lounge used by people with dementia was left unattended by staff, and people were sat close to two very hot radiators. CQC Report