A CARE homefor the elderly in Winsford criticised by the healthcarewatchdogfor putting residents 'at risk of harm'is back in the firing line.
In October last year, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) published a damning report based on an inspection in July at Winsford Grange Care Home, on Station Road Bypass, demanding ‘rapid and widespread improvements’.
Inspectors found residents ‘at risk of harm’ due to understaffing, poor staff training, inadequatepractices around obtainingconsent for care, poor feeding practices, and residents not getting their prescribed medication.
There were also concerns about cleanliness, including residents’ clothes and bodies, forcinginspectors to question whether their dignity was being given proper regard.
The home was rated inadequate and immediately put into special measures, triggering enforcement action.
Back in October, the home’s operator, Park Homes, said it ‘took the recent rating issued by the CQC very seriously’, adding: “We are fully dedicated to addressing these issues promptly and comprehensively.”
However, not long after it’s July inspection, CQC was called back in to investigate ‘further concerns’, triggering yet another inspectionin November, specifically into safety and leadership at the home.
Sadly, the new report, to be published later this week, is just as damning,pointing to systematic failings in a raft of basic care areas, including: medicine management; staff training; unreported injuries; unsafe storage of equipment; poor infection control; poor supervision; wound care; and staff feeling unable to raise concerns.
The findings have forced the healthcare watchdog to raise safeguarding concerns with Cheshire West and Chester Council, which it said the home's managers'should have raised themselves'.
Ann Ford, CQC’s director of operations in the north, said: “When we inspected Winsford Grange Care Home, we found serious concerns which put people at risk of harm.
“Despite some improvements to the physical environment, fundamental safety issues identified in our July inspection remained unaddressed.
“We found multiple areas of concern around medicines management, including instances where people hadn’t received their prescribed medicines due to lack of stock.
“Staff didn’t always give people their medicines as prescribed, or store them according to the manufacturer’s guidance, including thickening powders for people with swallowing difficulties not being stored safely or used correctly, putting people at risk of choking.
“Leaders also didn’t ensure staff had completed the appropriate training to keep people safe.
"Near half the staff, including nurses, were working without necessary moving and handling training.
“As a result, we observed poor moving and handling practice during our visit, which led to inspectors making an immediate safeguarding referral to the local authority.
“Leaders didn’t report or investigate serious incidents appropriately. We found people with unreported bruising and injuries, and when incidents did occur, there was no proper analysis to prevent them happening again.
“As a result of our findings, we had to make several additional safeguarding referrals for issues the home’s managers should have reported themselves.
“Leaders also needed to ensure basic safety measures were taken. We found unlocked rooms containing unsafe items, dirty equipment, and at one point observed a staff member sleeping while supposed to be supervising residents.
"This is totally unacceptable.
“While there was positive feedback about the new manager, there needs to be more time to see the changes they make implemented and sustained to improve people’s care.
“Leaders know where they must make rapid and widespread improvements, and we’ll monitor the home closely during this time to keep people safe.”
Parks Homes says since the inspection in November, which forms the basis of this week's report, the home has made 'significant improvements' to the service it provides.
This includes the appointment ofnew new senior management team for the group, which hasa remit to 'implement significant changes' to care practices.
A spokesman for Park Homes said: "Since the CQC assurance visit in November, Park Homes has made significant improvements at its Winsford Grange care home in order to ensure the people who live with us receive the best possible experience and care.
"Since this visit, a new, highly experienced and respected senior management team has come into the organisation to implement significant changes in care delivery and practice.
"Park Homes is now confident it has addressed all the concerns identified by CQC in the five months since their last visit.
"This has been further recognised by the local authority and ICB who have both confirmed they are assured by the improvements which have taken place in the home and have no concerns of the care which is now beingprovided.
"This is further recognised by the residents and relatives who have provided independent positive reviews on external review sites such as Carehome.co.uk.
"Park Homes and its highly respected new managing director are confidentthe care provided in the home today is very different to that reported by CQC in November."
