'Inadequate' Gateshead care home placed in special measures
A Gateshead care home has been placed in special measures following a "significant deterioration" in standards.
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) rated Addison Court, in Crawcrook, Ryton, as inadequate following an inspection in November.
The home, which provides residential care for up to 70 older people, is run by Malhotra Care Homes Limited.
Inspectors visited after concerns were raised over staffing levels, moving and assisting people, recruitment, and management oversight.
A spokesperson for the home said it was disappointed by the results of the inspection and said "extensive efforts" had been made to rectify the concerns raised.
Linda Hirst, CQC deputy director of operations in the north, said: “When we inspected Addison Court, it was disappointing to see a significant deterioration in the level of care being provided. Leaders were working on an improvement plan when we visited, but it was too early to see any proper progress.
“There was an increase of agency staff employed at the home who told us they didn’t know people’s needs well enough. One staff member hadn’t received an induction or handover and was given no training in how to support people when they were distressed or had specific care needs which placed people at risk of harm.
“Additionally, recruitment checks didn’t always follow the provider's own recruitment processes. Some references weren’t suitable, and some application forms hadn’t been fully completed, it’s important that thorough checks are carried out to keep people safe."
She continued: “It’s important in any care setting that incidents or risks to people are investigated as quickly as possible to prevent people coming to harm and to ensure lessons are learned, but this wasn’t always done at Addison Court.
“For example, falls in the home had increased significantly between June and July, but nothing had been done to check why and to put preventative measures in place to keep people safe.
“However, we did see some positive areas of care. The environment was welcoming and spacious and had been adapted for the needs of people living with dementia, such as signage to help people orientate around the home.
“The home also had two activities coordinators and we saw a birthday and wedding anniversary being celebrated during our inspection.
“We have told leaders where we expect to see improvements and will continue to monitor the home closely to keep people safe during this time. We will return to check on their progress and won’t hesitate to take further action if people aren’t receiving the care they have a right to expect.”
The home was rated as follows:
Is the service safe? Inadequate
Is the service effective? Requires improvement
Is the service caring? Requires improvement
Is the service responsive? Requires improvement
Is the service well-led? Inadequate
Overall rating: Inadequate
The service has been placed in special measures which means it will be kept under close review to make sure people are safe and, if CQC do not propose to cancel the provider's registration, there will be a re-inspection to check for significant improvements.
A spokesperson for Addison Court Care Home said: "We have considered the comments provided by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and we are disappointed with the findings of the report, which indicate a deviation from our customary high standards at Addison Court Care Home.
"Following the issuing of the report, extensive efforts have been undertaken to rectify the highlighted concerns. We are also actively collaborating with the local authority, the CQC, and relevant stakeholders to address the identified issues. A series of measures, including changes in the management structure of the home, have been implemented as part of this concerted effort.
"We maintain a strong belief that Addison Court will be assessed by the CQC to have reinstated the former exemplary standards during its forthcoming inspection."
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