The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has rated Derwent Lodge Nursing Home in Merseyside, inadequate overall and the service has been placed in special measures, following inspections which took place in June and July.
The service was also rated inadequate for being safe and well-led. At the last inspection in December 2020 the care home was rated as good overall.
This focused inspection was prompted by a serious incident that happened at the home, which raised concerns about the safety and management of the service.
Derwent Lodge, run by Sure Care (UK) Limited, provides accommodation for up to 46 people who need help with nursing or personal care. At the time of the inspection 39 people lived in the home. Many of them required nursing care and most people lived with dementia.
Hayley Moore, CQC’s head of adult social care inspection, said:
“During our inspection of Derwent Lodge Nursing Home in Merseyside, we found people were not receiving the safe care and treatment they deserve.
“The systems in place to monitor the quality and safety of care was not robust enough, and oversight from managers was not effective. Staff did not always adhere to best practice guidance or the provider’s own policies and procedures which meant the care was not always consistent or safe.
“We found that environmental risks had not been addressed. First floor windows were not secure, some bed rails were unsafe and multiple fire doors did not close properly. All of these issues placed people at serious risk of injury or harm.
“We were pleased to observe staff being kind and caring, and relatives told us they felt their loved one was happy at the home and with staff that supported them.
“Following the inspection, we immediately fed back our concerns to the provider, and urgent improvements have been made to improve the quality of care and safety for people.
“The service has been placed in special measures, which means we will keep it under review and will re-inspect within six months to check to see whether significant improvements have been made and embedded. If sufficient improvements have not been made at that point, we will take enforcement action in accordance with our legal powers.”
Full details of the inspection are given in the report published on our website.
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