Dinsdale Lodge Care Home, Hartlepool rated Inadequate by the Care Quality Commission

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has put Finchworth Limited of Hartlepool into special measures to protect their users, after rating the service as Inadequate after an inspection in April this year.

Dinsdale Lodge Care Home is registered to provide nursing or personal care for up to 28 people. At the time of our inspection there were 20 people living at the home, some of whom were living with dementia.

This inspection took place on 12, 14 and 26 April and 10 May 2016 and was unannounced. Following the second day of inspection we requested the provider send an urgent plan in response to the concerns that we had identified. We visited again on the 26 April 2016 to check the action they said they had taken. We also visited on 10 May 2016 to ensure people were receiving safe and appropriate care.

Under CQC’s new programme of inspections, all adult social care services are given a rating to help people choose care. We ask five questions, are services; safe, effective, caring, responsive and well led. Overall, Dinsdale Lodge Care Home has been rated as Inadequate.

The full report from the inspection can be found here on our website: www.cqc.org.uk/location/1-108920052

We identified multiple breaches of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations when we inspected.

The report identified a number of other areas which we found deeply concerning including:

• Clinical staff and non-clinical staff had not received appropriate training to meet the needs of the people using the service.
• We found the registered manager had failed to make safeguarding referrals despite incidents falling within the threshold of safeguarding.
• Risk assessments for the building were ineffective and did not identify risks or control measures to keep people safe.
• Care plans and risk assessments contained inaccurate information about people’s care needs.
• We saw people were not being supported to eat and drink safely. People were left unattended for long periods, with no ability to summon assistance.
• People’s choices in relation to their care were not respected.

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

“People are entitled to services which provide safe, effective, compassionate and high quality care.

“We found the care provided at Dinsdale Lodge Care Home fell a very long way short what we expect services to provide. This is why we have intervened to keep people using this service safe.

“Our first instinct is to make sure the service improves, but we must take action to protect people when we are worried about their safety.”

The service will be kept under review and, we will not hesitate to take enforcement action should the service deteriorate further.

Ends

For further information please contact CQC Regional Communications Officer Kerri James by email kerri.james@cqc.org.uk or by phone on 07464 92 9966. Journalists wishing to speak to the press office outside of office hours can find out how to contact the team here. Please note: the press office is unable to advise members of the public on health or social care matters.

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