CQC warns Orchard Care Homes.com (3) Limited that it must improve standards of care

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has formally warned Orchard Care Homes.com (3) Limited that that it must make urgent improvements at Sowerby House in Thirsk, North Yorkshire.

The warning follows an unannounced visit by inspectors to the care home in September 2014 as part of CQC’s scheduled inspection programme for 2014/2015.

Visiting inspectors found that the nursing home was failing to provide care which was safe, effective, caring, responsive or well led; and all seven of the national standards reviewed by the inspection team were not being met.

A full report detailing the findings from the inspection has been published on the CQC website this week.

Following the inspection, CQC issued three warning notices requiring Orchard Care Homes.com (3) Limited to protect the health, safety and welfare of the residents:

• The individual wishes of people living at the home were not always being considered in the planning and delivery of care and relatives raised concerns with inspectors that standards had deteriorated.
• Residents had to wait for long periods of time for help and support; some told inspectors that they could wait between 30-40 minutes before call bells were answered.
• Concerns were raised over staff’s inconsistent knowledge of safeguarding procedures and inspectors found evidence of incidents that had occurred at the home but had not been reported to CQC, as legally required by registration.
• Inspectors found poor standards of cleanliness throughout the home, many areas and materials were found to be in poor hygiene and condition posing an infection risk to residents and staff.
• The homes own audits into medication handling failed to identify concerns found by inspectors. Also improvements were not made following concerns on the homes previous audits.
• The care and support needs of current residents were not being considered when planning staffing levels, as the information recorded regarding resident’s needs and requirements was out of date.
• The provider did not have an effective system in place to regularly assess and monitor the quality of service that people received

Debbie Westhead, CQC’s Deputy Chief Inspector of Adult Social Care in the North said:

"We have told Orchard Care Homes.com (3) Limited that they must take action to protect the health, safety and welfare of the people who live there.

"The standard of hygiene and cleanliness is far from acceptable and the provider is failing to meet the basic needs of the people living at Sowerby House. We expect a dramatic and immediate improvement in the conditions and delivery of care at the home.

"The residents receiving care from Sowerby House are entitled to receive services which are safe, effective, compassionate, well led, and responsive to their needs.

"We are monitoring Sowerby House very closely in liaison with the local authority to ensure that people receiving care are not at risk of immediate harm, and we will return to report on any improvements the home makes. If we find that significant progress has not been made we will consider the need for further action."

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For further information please contact CQC Regional Communications Officer Mark Humphreys on 0191 233 3519. Alternatively, the CQC press office can be contacted on 0207 448 9401 or out of hours on 07917 232 143.