The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has told Evergreen Residential Home, Scarborough that it must make improvements to protect the safety and welfare of people living there.
CQC carried out an inspection in March 2016. Inspectors found that the providers, Caliburn (Care Homes) Ltd, were failing to provide care which was safe, effective, caring, responsive or well led. The home has been rated Inadequate overall and placed into special measures.
The report published by CQC can be found at: www.cqc.org.uk/location/1-142785782
CQC last inspected the service in January 2015 and identified breaches in respect of person centred care, dignity and respect, need for consent and premises and equipment. The provider sent CQC an action plan outlining the improvements they intended to make saying they would be completed by 30 September 2015.
During the inspection CQC looked at whether or not improvements had been made and also looked at other concerns that had been raised. Inspectors found that improvements still needed to be made in regard to all the previously identified breaches of regulations.
The inspection team found that risk assessments had not always been completed or been amended to reflect people's changing needs which meant that staff may not be aware of the current needs of people. When risk assessments were in place inspectors saw that staff had not always followed the guidelines. In one case there was a delay caused by staff not following guidance provided by a doctor which could have had led to a poor outcome for the person.
The provider had not carried out servicing and maintenance checks within all areas of the service which meant they were not carrying out their duties under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.
People looked well cared for but were not animated unless they received visitors or were engaged fully in activity because they were not stimulated. There was no dedicated activities organiser, only a volunteer who came and organised activity when they could. In addition there were examples of institutionalised practice which denied the dignity, privacy, choice and independence of people. For example clothes were accepted from families to share out amongst others and some rooms only had access through a toilet.
Debbie Westhead, Deputy Chief Inspector of Adult Social Care in the North, said:
“We found the care provided at Evergreen Residential Home fell a long way short of the level we expect services to provide. This is why we have intervened to keep people using this service safe. I am disappointed at the lack of improvement since our inspection in January 2015 and because further serious issues have been identified at this inspection we have concerns about the provision and management of the service.
“People are entitled to services which provide safe, effective, compassionate and high quality care and we have told the provider that they must take action as a priority.
“We have been working with North Yorkshire County Council to ensure that people living at the home are not at undue risk. We will continue to monitor this care home. Services in special measures will be kept under review and, if we have not taken immediate action to propose to cancel the provider's registration of the service, will be inspected again within six months.”
Ends
For further information please contact CQC Regional Engagement Manager David Fryer 07901514220 or Kerri James 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.
Find out more
Read reports from our checks on the standards at Evergreen Residential Home