CQC requires improvement at Hemsworth Park, Wakefield

6 June 2013

A report which is published on the CQC website this week identifies the findings from a CQC inspection carried out in April 2013.

When they visited the home, inspectors found that the provider, Four Seasons (2000) Limited, was failing to meet five national standards of quality and safety, covering care and welfare of people who use services, safeguarding people from abuse, management of medicines, record keeping and complaints.

By law, providers of care services must ensure that they are meeting all standards.

The provider has been told that they must provide an action plan setting out how they will comply with the legal standards.

Visiting inspectors reviewed a sample of care and treatment records of people living in the home, observed how care was being delivered, and spoke with residents, relatives and members of staff. As a result they found that improvements were required in a number of areas.

Inspectors were concerned that some people living at the home were receiving inadequate care and that this was having a negative impact on their quality of life.

There was a lack of activities available people living at the home, and although staff were polite and friendly, inspectors saw very little proactive engagement between staff and residents.

Some people living at the home told inspectors that they often waited long periods of time for staff to answer their call bells and inspectors found that call bells were not positioned within easy reach of residents.

Care plans were not always being followed meaning that some people were not receiving care and treatment that was appropriate to their needs.

All staff had received safeguarding training, however inspectors raised concerns that people living at the home were not always being fully protected from the risk of abuse that in some cases their human rights were not being promoted.

Inspectors found that the administration of medicines was poorly managed and a review of medication records showed that medication had not always being given as prescribed.

Although the home demonstrated some good practice in the handling of complaints, inspectors found that records relating to how complaints had been dealt with contained inconsistencies and the extent to which actions for improvement were being identified or implemented was not apparent.

Some residents care records contained contradictory information and the structure of care records were both difficult to follow and understand.

Hemsworth Park provides accommodation and personal care for up to 93 older people and younger adults some of who have a physical disability or require nursing care.

Malcolm Bower-Brown, CQC’s Regional Director for the North said:

“The failings at Hemsworth Park are a real concern and we have told the provider where immediate improvements need to be made.

“We continue to monitor the situation carefully and will not hesitate to take further regulatory action should this prove necessary to ensure the people using the service receive the service they are entitled to expect".

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 the CQC Regional Communications Team, David Fryer 07901 514 220 or Kirstin Hannaford 0191 233 3629.

The CQC press office can be contacted on 0207 448 9401 or out of hours on 07917 232 143.

Notes to editors