CQC warns Cornwall Care Ltd that it must improve standards of care at Penberthy, Newquay

The Care Quality Commission has told Cornwall Care Limited it must make urgent improvements at Penberthy care home - or face further enforcement action.

During an inspection in January, inspectors found that the home in Newquay was failing to provide care which was safe, effective, responsive or well led. Overall the standard of care has been rated as Inadequate. A full report has been published on the CQC website.

Four CQC inspectors visited Penberthy unannounced after serious concerns were raised by a former employee of Cornwall Care Limited.

Following the inspection - CQC issued three warning notices requiring the provider Cornwall Care Ltd to take immediate action to ensure that it improved the standards of cleanliness and hygiene, maintenance, and its management systems to assess and monitor the quality of care.

At a further unannounced inspection two weeks ago, inspectors found that the company had taken significant action to deal with the most urgent concerns.  Since January CQC has continued to work closely with Cornwall Council and Cornwall clinical commissioning group to ensure that people are being cared for safely.

Penberthy provides care and support to up to 35 older people, including those who are living with dementia.

During the inspection in January, CQC found widespread concerns including the poor environmental standards of the home:

• The provider did not have suitable procedures to ensure the maintenance of cleanliness and hygiene standards.
• Carpets had not been cleaned sufficiently and inspectors found unpleasant odours throughout the home.
• The standard of maintenance was poor, with ill-fitting windows causing discomfort as a result of drafts and residue of damp on the walls. Rooms had not been decorated following the repair of a roof leak.
• Maintenance of fire safety systems was incomplete.
• Only two of the four baths for up to 35 people living at the home were in working order.
• Staff were not being provided with effective supervision
• The provider did not provide a suitable range of activities, or systems to effectively support people with dementia.

Adrian Hughes, CQC’s Deputy Chief Inspector of Adult Social Care, said:

"People are entitled to services which provide safe, effective, compassionate and high quality care - and Cornwall Care has let them down.

"The standard of maintenance and decoration of Penberthy was poor and did not provide comfortable surroundings for people to live in. They did not have enough working bathrooms, or effective management of people's incontinence needs.

"We found carpets heavily stained and worn, people’s rooms were sparse, some  with damp walls and wallpaper peeling away.  There was a lack of activities for people living at the home.  People living with dementia had little which would stimulate and support them.

"Families were overwhelmingly positive about the standard of care they felt their relatives received at Penberthy, and we found staff who were caring and committed.   We were told that they had tried to raise their concerns – but they were not listened to or action taken in response.

"Since our first inspection Cornwall Care has taken steps to address our most urgent concerns, but they need to go further. We have made it clear that they must sustain the improvements already made and provide a plan showing how they will address each of the  issues raised in our report. We will return to the home in the near future to check that the necessary improvements have been made. If not - we will take further action to make sure that people living there receive the care which they are entitled to.

“Cornwall Care Limited provides a number of care homes across Cornwall and we continue to monitor all of its services to check that people are receiving good quality and compassionate care”

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For media enquiries, call the CQC press office on 020 7448 9401 during office hours or out of hours on 07789 876508. For general enquiries, call 03000 61 61 61.