Middlesbrough care home rated inadequate by CQC after concerns with patient care and records
A Middlesbrough care home has been downgraded to 'inadequate' by the care watchdog after there were concerns including staff sleeping on shifts and incomplete records being kept.
The Gables Care Home, in Middlesbrough, which is run by TL Care Limited, has been placed into special measures by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), which means it will now be kept under close review by officials in order to keep residents safe.
It followed an assessment in May and June. The CQC had been prompted by Middlesbrough Council with residents’ care and treatment, along with the management of safety and risk being highlighted.
It said “further regulatory action” was in the offing, which it would report on when legally able to do so.
The Gables, in Highfield Road, provides personal and nursing care for up to 64 people, some of whom are living with dementia.
It was last rated as requiring improvement.
In a statement, the nursing home said it was "disappointed" by the results and was working hard to make improvements, many of which were historical.
Findings included:
Food and fluid charts that were poorly completed and did not show that people were eating and drinking enough.
Diabetes care plans which contained no information on how to support people with the condition.
Environmental risks like people having access to an unattended trolley with cleaning materials on it that had been left in an unlocked bathroom.
Linda Hirst, deputy director of operations for the CQC in the North of England, said concerns included staff sleeping on shifts and not being properly trained in moving and handling people, which could place them at risk of harm.
The inspection also discovered low morale among staff. They described poor communication from bosses and feelings of uncertainty about the future.
Where staff raised concerns, management were said to have failed to provide a timely response and there was also “limited evidence of learning” when things went wrong.
Ms Hirst added: "When we assessed Gables Care Home, it was disappointing that leaders had made little improvement or progress since we last inspected and we continued to identify shortfalls that compromised people’s safety and the quality of care they were receiving.
"Staff raised safeguarding concerns with leaders, but these hadn’t been acted upon and no action had been taken.
“The local authority had raised concerns about the poor quality of people’s care plans. They contained limited information about people’s preferred care and how to support them safely.
“There was a risk that if a person was admitted to hospital, important information wouldn’t be available and we found hospital records hadn’t been completed for most people.”
She added: “Leaders acknowledged improvements were needed in relation to care planning and were working to improve these."
"We have told leaders where we expect to see rapid, widespread improvements and will continue to monitor the home closely to keep people safe during this time."
Despite the overall rating, the CQC did find some positives, stating stating staff were “respectful, kind, compassionate and knew people well.
"Call bells used by residents to call for assistance were usually responded to quickly, while at mealtimes people were given safe and appropriate support when required."
A statement on behalf of the care home said: “A new senior manager has been working with the staff team and we have seen significant improvements throughout the care home and these are ongoing.
"We will continue to work closely with the CQC and local authority to ensure the high standards of care for our residents [and] their loved ones, [which] we expect.
"Our highest priority is providing a safe, comfortable and caring environment for those who reside with us.”
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