Care home put elderly residents ‘at risk of harm’
REPORT FINDS RESIDENTS WERE NOT BATHED REGULARLY
ELDERLY residents at a care home were not being bathed or having their teeth cleaned regularly, despite the service previously being ordered to improve.
The Care Quality Commission found that Bamford Grange, in Stockport, had failed to ensure there were enough staff to meet people’s needs during an inspection in December 2019.
And when inspectors returned in October this year, they found that not enough improvement had been made and it was still in breach of regulations. The Adswood Road home provides personal and nursing care for up to 79 people – including those with dementia and other illnesses.
A new report published by the health watchdog says that while its staff were committed and caring, residents had been put ‘at risk of harm’.
The report adds: “People’s needs were not always met. Staff were not always available when people needed them. For example, people had not had the opportunity to have regular baths or showers.”
Staff told inspectors that they were often moved to work in different units, where they did not know what people’s needs were.
The manager claimed that the service was not short of staff, but CQC officials took a different view.
The report continues: “We found that people were not receiving appropriate support with personal care which indicated that staffing levels were insufficient or that staff were not deployed appropriately.
“For example, bathing charts did not indicate that people had been bathed frequently and hardened toothbrushes demonstrated that they had not been used to clean teeth.”
Inspectors also noted that people’s nails were over-long, meaning they could damage their skin.
However, there had been a ‘modest improvement’ in the way residents were encouraged to follow their interests and take part in activities.
Most relatives who spoke to inspectors were happy with the care their loved ones were receiving.
But despite the progress made by the home, people confined to their beds did not always have access to activities and had ‘limited interaction’ with staff.
The report notes that there was a clear policy and system to manage infection control particularly in terms of the prevention of Covid-19.
However, there were concerns around layout and hygiene as well as the home’s plans to prevent or manage outbreaks. The home was advised to refer to good practice guidance.
Leadership at the home was also found not to have done enough to ensure the ‘quality and safety of the service’.
The home has an overall rating of ‘requires improvement’. However, the home was found to be ‘good’ in the caring assessment category.
Four Seasons Health Care, which runs Bamford Grange, did not respond to a request for comment.