CQC tells Springfield Care Home, Walthamstow, that it must take urgent action to improve services

26 January 2012

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has told Springfield Care Home in Walthamstow, east London, that it must take immediate action to improve the care it provides.

When they visited the home in November last year inspectors found that the provider, Mahendra Pratap Rambojun, was failing to meet five of the essential standards of quality and safety, covering respecting and involving people, safeguarding people, safety and suitability of premises, staffing, and assessing and monitoring the quality of service provision. By law, providers of care services must ensure that they are meeting all the essential standards.

The report, recently published by CQC, follows an unannounced routine inspection of the home. CQC has been working with the local safeguarding team to ensure immediate safety and welfare concerns are managed.

Among CQC’s concerns were:

Respecting and involving people: Inspectors found that privacy, dignity and independence were not being respected at the home. Inspectors observed that the environment in the home had been designed to limit behaviour, leading to deprivation of comfort and dignity.

Safeguarding people: Inspectors found that the home did not meet emotional and social needs, leading to risk of neglect and psychological harm. Inspectors also found that safeguarding training was not up to date for some staff working at the home.

Safety and suitability of premises: Inspectors found that the home failed to provide safe and accessible surroundings that promoted wellbeing. Inspectors observed that a bedroom currently in use had no furnishings apart froma bed, which was screwed to the floor, and a TV and radio stored in a locked box high on the wall.

Staffing: Inspectors found that there was insufficient staffing in the home to provide the level of support that was required, and also identified a shortfall in staff training. Inspectors observed two episodes of poor care, which were fed back to the member of staff concerned.

Matthew Trainer, Deputy Director of CQC (London), said:

“When our inspectors visited Springfield Care Home in November, they found that five of CQC’s essential standards of care were not being met. This was alarming and could not be allowed to continue.

“While our inspectors found that physical health needs were being met at the home, emotional, social and psychological needs were not.

“When a home cannot provide sufficient support to people living there, the answer must be to increase staffing rather than putting restrictions on residents that lower their quality of life. People should not be expected to live in a care home that cannot meet their needs.

“We have asked Springfield Care Home to send us an action plan showing how they will comply with the standards and will follow up on this. We will not hesitate to use our legal powers if the provider does not comply with the essential standards for care that everyone is entitled to expect.”

Ends

For further information please contact the CQC press office on 0207 448 9239 or out of hours on 07917 232143.

Notes to editors