The Care Quality Commission (CQC) finds a lack of improvement made by a nursing home in St Helens

The Care Quality Commission (CQC), has today, published a report detailing findings from an inspection of Adamstan House Nursing Home in St Helens, Merseyside. The inspection took place in September this year; as part of CQC’s scheduled inspection programme for 2014/2015.

Visiting inspectors found that the home was failing to provide care which was safe, effective, caring, responsive or well led; and all nine of the national standards reviewed by the inspection team were not being met.

A full report detailing the findings from the inspection has been published on the CQC website this week, here.

Inspectors found improvements were required in a number of areas:

• Staff were not providing people living at the home with person centred care and support, and inspectors found a range of institutional practices in place which failed to take into consideration people's individual needs, preferences and choices.
• People were not consulted about the use of close circuit television (CCTV) which was in operation in areas of the home including the main communal lounge.
• People were being deprived of their liberty without appropriate authorisation and staff had limited knowledge and understanding about the Mental Capacity Act.
• People's care had not been assessed and planned for, which meant staff did not have all the information they needed to ensure people received safe and effective care and support.
• People who used the service were put at risk because staff lacked knowledge about safeguarding procedures and failed to report safeguarding incidents to the local authority team for investigation. The practice of restraint was being used at the home without the proper legal processes being followed.
• Parts of the premises were unsafe and posed a hazard to people's health, safety and wellbeing, and inspectors found that people were not fully protected from the risks associated with the spread of infection because staff failed to follow infection control procedures.
• Senior members of staff had not reviewed the findings or been made aware of the compliance actions required in the previous inspection, stating they had not been given access to it.
• The homes complaints procedure included incorrect details about CQC and the local authority and inspectors found that complaints made had not been fully recorded.
• Records were not stored securely or updated with the latest information about changes in personal care needs.

As a result of these findings CQC is currently considering the need for further regulatory action against Adamstan Limited and will report in due course on any action they do decide to take.

Debbie Westhead, CQC’s Deputy Chief Inspector of Adult Social Care in the North said:

“Adamstan Limited has failed to take action following our previous inspection in March 2014, despite having provided assurances that the necessary improvements we had asked for had been made.

“It is unacceptable that the provider has allowed the service at Adamstan House Nursing Home to deteriorate in this way. The people for whom they are providing a service are entitled to services which are safe, effective, caring, well led, and responsive to their needs. The provider should have systems in place to monitor the quality of the service, and it is of significant concern that Adamstan Limited did not have such systems in place.

“We have shared our findings with the Local Authority Safeguarding Team and we are in liaison with the local authority. We have told the provider very clearly where improvements must be made and will continue to monitor the home very closely to ensure that people receiving care are not at risk of immediate harm.

“Due to the findings of this inspection we are considering the need for further action against the service and we will report on any action we intend to take in due course.”

Any regulatory decision that CQC takes is open to challenge by a registered person through a variety of internal and external appeal processes.

Ends

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