CQC publishes report on Bentley Care Home, Liverpool

The Care Quality Commission has published a report of its findings at Bentley Care Home, Liverpool, from an inspection that took place in April and May this year.  

This home was inspected as concerns had been raised by partner organisations about people’s safety. 

Following the inspection, on 9 May, CQC was so concerned about the safety of people using the service, this location was urgently removed from the provider’s registration and in conjunction with Liverpool City Council, residents were located to alternative, safer accommodation.

The care home was run by Prasur Investments Limited, and was registered to provide accommodation and personal care for up to 58 adults who required support with their mental and physical health. 

The full report from the inspection can be found here on our website.

Debbie Westhead, CQC’s Deputy Chief Inspector for Adult Social Care, said:

“People are entitled to services which provide safe, caring and high quality care. The care we found being provided at Bentley Care Home was appalling.  We were left with no other option than to urgently remove their registration and work with Liverpool City Council to immediately relocate residents."

“We found no fewer than ten breaches in regulation at this inspection and were extremely worried about people’s safety."

“Environmental Health officers had closed the kitchen of the home because it was unsafe, there was also a serious rodent problem which was not being addressed. Four days after the kitchen was supposed to be closed for a deep clean, our inspectors found mouse droppings all over the floor, and dead flies in a potato peeler. They also broke a voluntary agreement made with Environmental Health not to reopen the kitchen."

“The premises were not safe, with faulty electrics and lighting regularly giving staff static shocks, and people were permitted to smoke in their bedrooms putting everyone at Bentley Care Home at a potentially devastating fire risk."

“Taking action to move people from their home urgently as a last resort is always a difficult judgement. It is our expectation that providers should use our inspection reports to get to grips with their problems and ensure they sort them out."

“But when people’s safety and quality of life are judged to be more at risk by staying than moving, we have no option but to use our powers to intervene. I have no doubt that if Bentley Care Home stayed open, it would have been a case of when not if, something awful and unavoidable would have happened to someone using the service.”

Other findings from the inspection included:

• A member of staff told inspectors that one call bell had been deliberately cut off by the wire to stop a resident calling for help as they did so often and it irritated them. Many of the other call bells did also not work which meant people were not able to call on staff for help if they needed it
• The electrics in the home were potentially unsafe. Only half of the home had a valid electrical safety certificate and staff regularly received static shocks from door keypads. When some lights were turned off the nurse call bells were triggered.
• Throughout the inspection people living at the home were found to be smoking in their bedrooms and staff admitted they did nothing to stop this which meant everyone was at potential risk from a fire.
• The kitchen was closed during this visit so inspectors looked at the room which was being used for food preparation. The sink and microwave were both dirty with food that had not been cleaned away. There was no fridge in the room and inspectors observed cooked meats left on the side for over two hours on a warm day, which were then put into people’s sandwiches. This placed people at a high risk of food poisoning which posed an immediate and potentially life-threatening risk to some of the older and more frail people using the service.
• There wasn’t enough staff on duty to meet people’s needs and inspectors were told by management that night staff slept on duty which placed people’s safety at night, at risk.
• People were not treated with dignity. Inspectors saw somebody with broken spectacles holding them onto their head which was very irritating for them. It was also undignified and inspectors could see their discomfort.
• Over a four day period, inspectors saw a number of people dressed in the same clothes every day, and each day their appearance became more unkempt. Their clothes were dirty and stained which was unacceptable.

CQC are now considering further enforcement action against the provider, Prasur Investments Limited.  This is currently subject to legal proceedings and CQC are unable to report on these proceedings until they have concluded.

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

Ends

For further information please contact CQC Regional Engagement Officer Kerri James by email kerri.james@cqc.org.uk or by phone on 07464 92 9966. 

Journalists wishing to speak to the press office outside of office hours can find out how to contact the team here.

Please note: the press office is unable to advise members of the public on health or social care matters. For general enquiries, please call 03000 61 61 61.